Old friends, new acquaintances
by chaddad97
Summary: Not everyone in the Fire Nation was happy about the new fire lord and now, two years later, they intend to remove Zuko and reignite the war. Meanwhile, Aang searches for surviving Airbenders, and the rest of the gang try to help Zuko keep the peace. (I started this well before Korra, so it does not coincide with any of the later comics or television shows.)
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Azula sat quietly in her cell, hands and feet bound, as always, to prevent her from fire bending. It was uncomfortable, but by now she was used to it. More annoying were the visits from the prissy water bender, Katara. She visited often and attempted to "heal" Azula, but Azula knew there was nothing wrong with her. Well, actually, Azula always felt better after Katara left, but that just irritated her all the more because she hated the water bender, who had been responsible for Azula's downfall. The Southern Water tribe bender was really a nice person, but Azula really didn't spend a lot of time with nice people so it made her uncomfortable.

Perhaps one of these days the rest of them would decide that Azula was "all better" and let her out. Probably not though; nobody trusted her. Of course, they had no reason to trust her, but she had decided after seeing her brother a number of times in the past year that she was lucky she was not the one who had become the Fire Lord. Zuko looked tired and harassed most of the time. "Fixing" the world was not as easy as he and the Avatar had thought it would be. Well, they could have the job. She just wanted to get out of her cell and taste a little freedom again and if her carefully laid plans worked out, she would.

* * *

Sokka wiped sweat off his forehead and stepped back from Suki who smiled at him through her face paint. She was dressed in her traditional Kyoshi warrior garb and he thought she should be far too warm, but instead Sokka was the one sweating. She was very quick and had managed to hold him off as he attacked her with his wooden practice sword, deflecting his blows with her own katana and the occasional kick to the stomach.

"You are much better than the last time you visited our island," said Pione, one of the other Kyoshi warriors. Sokka had met all of Suki's friends on their first visit several years ago, but he only really knew Suki well and Ty Lee somewhat less well, since the latter had chased them around the world in the company of Mai and Azula. Sokka grimaced at the compliment. He had learned a great deal from Master Piandao, and practiced with his father during their return visit to their home in the south. Even with all that, Suki and several of her Kyoshi friends still thumped him back and forth during practice.

For two years after Sokka and Team Avatar had helped save the world from the Fire Lord, Sokka had helped rebuild his village. Even then, Aang and Katara had done most of the work, water bending new igloos homes and other buildings with the help of Master Pakku, who had married their grandma. When the Avatar had left again, Sokka had done his best to help his father lead the Southern water tribe in the absence of so many men who had died during the war. Finally, he had decided that it was time to visit Kyoshi Island. He had missed Suki and only been able to keep up with a few letters back and forth during that time.

"How about I take a turn," suggested Ty Lee. Each of the Kyoshi Warriors took a turn training with Sokka so they each had an opportunity to train against a larger swordsman. Except for Suki, Ty Lee was easily the best of the other Kyoshi ladies.

"I think that is a good idea," said Suki. She smiled at Sokka and he frowned back. Suki knew that Sokka lost to Ty Lee as much as he won. Sokka hated losing to girls.

Ty Lee took up a position opposite Sokka and immediately aimed a swift kick at his head. He moved sideways, leaning to avoid the kick and aimed his own sword thrust at his nimble opponent. She danced away, easily avoided his strike and came at him with her own blade in a flurry of quick strikes. With Ty Lee you especially had to look out for a good kick mixed in with her swordplay. After several minutes of sweating, he managed to get in a good poke in her ribs. She grunted, frowned and then congratulated him on his swordsmanship. One thing you could say about Ty Lee; she was not a sore loser.

The other girls clapped for him and he smiled. They often snickered and hid smiles when he lost, but he had to admit that he had improved a great deal since coming to the island. It was not the reason he had come, but it was a bonus. He bowed to Ty Lee first and then Suki, who returned his bow and winked where the others could not see.

"I think you have beat up on my girls enough for one day, Sokka," she said after rising. "Training dismissed." She took him by the arm and led him off to find some lunch. "Thanks for smiling through the training, Sokka. I think it is helping them." She put an arm around him once they had rounded the corner. "And thanks for coming; I missed you," she said and kissed him on the cheek.

"I hope you didn't leave paint on my cheek," he said. "One of the villagers fell over laughing the last time I tried to buy vegetables."

"I could stop kissing you," she teased.

"Oh, I suppose I can live with the occasional face paint," he said quickly. They both laughed and Sokka put his arm around her in return. He had missed Suki, too.

* * *

"It worked, Mai," said Zuko excitedly. "They reacted just the way you said they would."

"So you took my advice?" said Mai. Since becoming Fire Lord, Zuko's normally too-serious demeanor had often taken on a gloomy air that made the old Zuko seemed cheerful. Too many people saw a teen-ager and Zuko refused to use violence and intimidation to keep them in line, which was good. That technique only worked so long as you had people under your thumb. Growing up Mai had watched her mother subtly influence her father into good decisions that had made his governance of several Fire Nation colonies run more smoothly. In turned out, Zuko was very amenable to the same type of influence. In some ways, he was very humble. It was one reason she loved him.

"Of course I took your advice," said Zuko. "You give good advice don't you?"

He made it sound like an accusation. Sometimes he made her sigh all too much. But, he did listen. "Well, it should be good advice, but it doesn't always work. I hope you don't tell anyone that I gave it."

"Of course not, I'm not an idiot," said Zuko and then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. My temper is worse than ever lately. Sometimes I want to kick my uncle for convincing me that I ought to become Fire Lord."

"But you are doing a good job and I think the other nations' ambassadors are beginning to trust you," said Mai.

"If only more of the Fire Nation people believed ending the war was a good idea," he mumbled. "Too many of them liked having new land in the Earth Kingdom and they have been there so long it was home to them. They did not like being uprooted."

"The Earth Kingdom let those who wished stay," said Mai. "As long as they agreed to live by the local laws. The ones who are left believe in you," said Mai. "We'll deal with the others if they come." Zuko had told her of reports of rebel Fire Nation warriors massing somewhere and it worried, but the Fire Nation would not have to defeat them alone. At least Mai hoped not. The Fire Nation was supposedly allied with the Earth Nation and Water Tribes now, but that alliance had not been put to the test yet.

"Mai, would you like to be Queen … or Fire Lady, or whatever they call it?" asked Zuko suddenly.

Mai blinked, eyes wide. Had Zuko just … ? She opened her mouth and closed it again, thinking. "Are you asking me to marry you, Zuko?" For a guy who had been on his own for years, faced down the Avatar on several occasions, battled his sister Azula regularly and was currently the most powerful man in the Fire Nation, Zuko looked very uncertain and nervous. Mai waited patiently, regarding him with a direct gaze.

"I guess I am, yes," said Zuko.

Mai rolled her eyes. She wasn't generally given to romantic illusions, but she expected a bit more from a marriage proposal. She narrowed her eyes and spoke in her old "I'm bored out of my mind" voice. "You guess?"

Zuko flinched and met her eyes. For just a moment, she thought he was going to chicken out, but then clenched his jaw, took in a deep breath through his nose and squared up his shoulders.

"Mai, I love you," he said in a very determined voice. That seemed to take all his courage and his next statement sounded much less confident. "Will you marry me? I need you."

In all their time together, Zuko had never used the "love" word, so that was a big step. She took a sudden step closer and kissed him hard. When she stepped back again he looked bemused.

"Does that mean you will?" he asked.

"Of course it does," she said, rolling her eyes again. "You clearly need help doing your job." She smiled at him to take the sting out of her sarcasm. "I love you, too, Zuko. Are you going to ask my father's permission?"

"I should, shouldn't I?" he said nodding. "In the meantime, we have to figure out where the rebels are and what we are going to do about them?"

"And you better keep an eye on Azula, too," said Mai. "She is acting a little more … upbeat, I suppose you could say. If I didn't know better, I would say she has something up her sleeve."

"What do you know?" said Zuko harshly. "What more can we do? Should we send her to the Boiling Rock?"

"Zuko, don't get excited," said Mai. "She seems to be getting better. Maybe it is just that, but it might not hurt to be careful. She seems more … normal, of late. I think the visits from Katara are helping."

"Yeah, who would have imagined she would be so willing?" said Zuko.

"Enough," said Mai, taking Zuko's hand. "Let's go tell my parents. My mother will be thrilled." Mai's tone implied that her mother might be a little too thrilled. Oh, well, there was nothing to do but to tell them.

* * *

Toph Bei Fong sat in class and did her best not to fidget. She was still only fifteen and required to take entirely too many classes for her liking. Worst of all were the World Geography classes like the one she was now having to endure. Her teacher was dry. Like, middle of the Si Wong Desert dry.

Toph looked across at a boy who was slobbering on his desk as he sat there in a daze. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore.

"Professor Rowan, may I be excused?" she asked.

The teacher looked at Toph the way Toph looked at an insect she was about to squish. He hated interruptions. Really hated them. He also knew that Toph was likely to launch into an extended explanation of the location they were now discussing, the Fire Nation capital, since he knew she had visited and he never had. The professor rolled his eyes and nodded. He probably knew that she would not come back for the day, but they had worked out an unspoken agreement—he didn't tell her parents how much time she spent away from class and she kept telling them how much she was learning about faraway places.

"Go if you must, Toph," he said. "Remember we have a test on the new Fire Lord and his government, set to be taken tomorrow." He also knew that she knew Fire Lord Zuko personally and would pass the test without any problems.

Toph stood quickly and bowed. "Thank you Professor Rowan." Toph walked out of the class quickly and ignored the whispers at her departure. It was hard to make friends with the children her age. Toph had been out saving the world when she was twelve and the other students still acted like children. Sometimes Toph regretted the distance between her and the others, but it was there still the same.

Once outside the school yard gates, she began running, using the vibrations she felt through her feet to guide her around obstacles and down the first side street to which she came. It was still two hours before lunch and she knew The Boulder would be practicing at the Earth Rumble arena and he was always good for a few earth bending matches. She always beat him, but she also taught him everything she knew, so he was improving. She didn't compete anymore after promising her parents she would not, but she had not said anything about practicing with them.

She ran swiftly now, enjoying her longer legs and extra height that had come with all the growing she had been doing. Toph loved the wind on her face when she ran. Maybe she would even try to show The Boulder how to do a little metal bending. She doubted he would be able to do it, but he had become her best friend since returning to her home. Sometimes she wished Aang and Katara and the others would visit more often. Toph didn't have a flying bison to get her from one place to another.

No one tried to stop her as she passed through the large stone arches leading to the arena. Toph was something of a celebrity here and no one looked twice at her, though she suspected many of them smiled at her when she came during school hours. The Boulder called out to her before she found him; he had taken to sitting quietly on the stone benches while he tried to feel the vibrations of the earth as she had taught him. He was now a far better earth bender than he had been when she first fought him at Earth Rumble.

"Ditching class again, Toph?" he called in his deep voice. "The Boulder thinks that your parents will not be happy if you don't finish school."

"The Boulder can take his thoughts and stuff them up his … " began Toph.

The Boulder's loud laugh echoed across the arena as he slapped her on the back. "The Boulder thinks that Toph needs to find her friends and travel a bit more. Maybe this time you can take The Boulder with you."

Toph shook her head. The Boulder was right. She might be fifteen years old, but she had crossed the world with the Avatar and his young friends, doing nothing short of saving the world from fire. After that, school did not cut it. She did need an adventure; sooner than later.

* * *

Aang sat staring out from the vast open area on a balcony of the Southern Air Temple. Even empty of life, this place still felt like home. Appa rumbled loudly, as if he had read Aang's thoughts and agree.

"Well, buddy, it may be home but unless we can find any more sky bisons, there are not going to ever be any little Appa's flying around," said Aang. This time Appa's rumble was much less pleased. Aang knew Appa was still relatively young, but in a few more years Appa would need to find a mate. That would be a problem if the Fire Nation had wiped out the rest of the bisons.

Aang had spent most of the last two years helping the world rebuild and defeating the various Fire Nation elements that had gone rogue when they did not agree with Fire Lord Zuko's peaceful policies. That thought made Aang laugh even now. Fire Lord Zuko. He knew his friend was doing a good job as Fire Lord, but being the Avatar was even more work. This trip to the air temple had been Aang's first break in those two years. The world could get along without the Avatar for a while. It was time to find out if there were any sky bison that had survived. To do that, he would have to look in out of the way places where the news of peace had not yet circulated. He and Appa had a tough search ahead of them.

"Let's go Appa," said Aang, climbing on the sky bison. "Yip, yip."

* * *

Admiral Akihito stood on the bridge of his ship and smiled to himself. He had managed to gather nearly half of the Fire Nation ships that had not returned to Capital City when "Fire Lord" Zuko had been crowned. That boy could take any title he wished, but Akihito would never follow the sniveling teen and the admiral had gathered all the other fire nation warriors would did not intend to go back peacefully. They were hiding in an obscure bay north of the Fire Nation, not far from the Western Air Temple. Two years of patience and planning and they were nearly ready for their assault. Akihito already had an assassin in place at the royal palace waiting for the signal. Supposedly, this Zuko was quite accomplished at personal combat, but how good could he be if someone had given him a huge facial scar? Rumor had it that it had been a water bender who defeated Azula and took her captive, so likely Zuko's reputation was overblown.

The smile back on his face, Akihito finally allowed himself to whisper to himself the thought he had been thinking for these past two years.

"All hail, Fire Lord Akihito."

* * *

Azula smiled when she saw Katara walking down the hallway of the prison. As much as she wanted to dislike the girl, Azula could not help but admit that her hate had turned into at least mild admiration. After all, hadn't Katara managed to capture Azula? To do that she would have to be good. Now she was going to help Azula escape—even if the Water Tribe primitive did not know it yet.

"Good morning, Katara," said Azula in her most polite voice. Katara stared back at her in surprise and then a bit of suspicion. Azula sighed. No one seemed to trust her motives when she was trying to be polite.


	2. Chapter 2

**The Gathering**

"Miss Bei Phong?"

Toph stopped dead and turned in the direction of the speaker giving him her best "Call-me-miss-again and you'll regret it" stare. Her parents had just relented from their insistence that she be picked up in a carriage from school each day and if this joker assaulted her they might change their minds again.

"Who wants to know?" she said.

The man chuckled to himself. "I think you already confirmed it for me," he said. "A friend of yours sent me. He said to find someone who is called Toph, because it sounds like tough."

Toph laughed. Not many people would know she had attended a ridiculous play with the present Fire Lord and that her character had been played by a huge guy. "So what does old Grumpyface need with me?" she asked.

"The Fire Lord," said the man with special emphasis "wishes you to meet with him and several of your other … friends. A mutual acquaintance has gone missing and he thinks you might prefer to help rather than learn about places you have already visited."

Toph laughed again. Zuko must have spies everywhere to know how much she was hating school. She knew she would go, of course. The Boulder had told her she needed an adventure and he had been right.

"I need to leave a note for my parents," she told the man. "By the way, what is your name?"

"You may call me Hung Ji," he said. "Will you need to have your parents' permission?"

"No," she said, "Because they will never give it so I'm not going to ask. Can you write out something for me?"

"Certainly," he said.

Before long, she had finished her note and found a runner to take it to the family estate outside of town. She had agreed to meet Hung Ji outside of town in one hour and she ran quickly towards the Arena, hoping she might catch The Boulder before he left for the day. If she left without telling him, he would be furious. Not as furious as her parents were going to be, but there was nothing she could do about that. They could not always accept that she wanted to be something other than what they wanted for her.

The Boulder was nowhere to be found, so she left a note for him and then ran quickly to her meeting with Hung Ji. As she had suspected, he had come in a war balloon, or rather, a transportation balloon, since there was no war. Soon they were flying away to what Toph hoped was something a lot more interesting than her lessons.

Hung Ji was not exactly talkative on the flight, so Toph just wrapped up in a provided blanket after dark and went to sleep. The vibrations of the engine were soothing and she slept well until the sun came up the next morning.

"Can you tell me how long we are going to fly in this thing?" she asked after a long yawn.

"The eventual destination is the Southern Air Temple, where the Avatar told the Fire Lord he was traveling to when last they spoke," said Hun Ji. "But first we are making a stop at Kyoshi Island."

"Really," she said. "Are we picking up Suki and the other Kyoshi Warriors?"

"The Fire Lord told me we are only to speak to Master Sokka and Miss Suki," he said. "And in fact, we are descending even now. It would be best if you went to speak with them with as much stealth as you are able. The fewer people who know of our visit the better."

So Sokka was on Kyoshi Island, was he? Well, she could be subtle when she needed. Within the hour she was blessedly on the ground, scrunching her feet into the soil and luxuriating in the feel of good dirt. They had come down a good mile or more from the village so she set out quickly, running smoothly through the forest until she could sense the plentiful vibrations of many people, animals and carts moving about. She slowed and began walking, attempting to pick out Sokka's familiar walk among all those people. It was impossible, so she asked the first young person she met. Well, at least the first small person; Toph had no idea about ages.

"The Kyoshi Warriors?" said the child whose voice sounded like a boy. "Everyone knows where the Kyoshi Warriors train."

"How about you lead me there for a copper piece?" she suggest.

"Really?" he said and ran off without waiting to see if she would follow. After a few minutes he stopped. "It's right there," said the boy. Toph assumed he was pointing, but decided not to point out that she was blind. It often made people feel uncomfortable. She fished a couple of coppers out of her pocket and tossed them in the direction of the boy. "For another copper, run in and ask Suki if she will come out and talk to an old friend."

"You know Warrior Suki?" said the boy in surprise and Toph realized her mistake.

"Yes, but this is a super-secret mission that no one can know about?" she said in a conspiratorial whisper. "Can you keep a secret?" Fortunately, the boy whispered back. "Of course, I won't let anyone know."

"Good," said Toph. "I'll just wait over there behind one of those trees.

It took a few minutes, but soon enough she felt Suki's confident stride and Sokka's unmistakable foot strikes as well. Before she knew it, Suki was running towards her and nearly knocked her down with a huge hug.

"Toph, what are you doing here?" she cried right on top of Sokka asking nearly the same thing as he pounded her on the back. Of all things, Toph began to cry. "Toph, what is it?" asked Suki.

She had missed friends like these and had not realized how much she had missed them until they suddenly appeared. She scrubbed at her eyes and then punched Sokka in the arm, hard.

"Ow!" he cried out, then Suki laughed, and Sokka and Toph joined her.

"I'm glad you did that, or I might have wondered if you really were the Toph I know," said Sokka. "But look at you—you grew."

"It happens, you goof ball," said Suki. "Toph, you are prettier than ever."

"And your arm is still strong," said Sokka and Toph imagined he was rubbing it with an injured expression. "So what brings you to Kyoshi Island, Toph? And why the secrecy?"

"Zuko," she said.

"Zuko?" the others cried together. "Is he here too?"

"No, we are meeting him at the Southern Air Temple," said Toph. "That is where Aang is

supposed to have gone. I'm supposed to invite you along without causing a big fuss."

"Oh, yeah," said Sokka as he hopped up and down. "Team Avatar is back in business!"

"Sokka!" said Suki and Toph together. "We are not Team Avatar." They all laughed together and Toph was happier than she had been in years.

"You are not leaving me behind," insisted Ty Lee after she accosted the three of them trying to sneak out after packing clothes for the trip. "I know you are headed off to do something exciting and I am coming." Suki stood up to her full height, which gave her several inches on Ty Lee. "It is nothing, Ty Lee; we are just going for a little flight to see some old … acquaintances." Suki stared at Ty Lee who did not look like she was going to budge.

"I'm coming," said Ty Lee again. "You can use me. I'm the best of the other Kyoshis and you know it."

"Which is why I need you to stay with them in case there is trouble," said Suki.

"You know they won't follow me," said Ty Lee. "I'm the 'new girl' and they would rather follow Jun Sa or Pione."

Suki sighed. Ty Lee was right. The other girls did like her, but they were not going to follow her like the others she had mentioned. "Fine, give the note to Pione and meet us with your stuff on Long Fin beach in thirty minutes."

Ty Lee flashed her smile and danced down the hall with the note in hand. "I'll be there. Don't you dare leave early."

Suki led the way out of the village and into the forest with Sokka and Toph on her heels. They reached the airship and waited for Ty Lee, who arrived with a large bundle over her shoulder and such an enthusiastic bounce to her stride that even their stone-faced pilot, Hung Ji, seemed to perk up a bit at her in greeting. Before mid-morning they were off and flying again, almost due east. They only stopped twice for the rest of the day—to collect more wood for the engine—so the small party was quite happy to spy the tall peaks of the air temple with the last of the dying sunlight.

As they came into to land, Suki could see that only two people were there waiting—Zuko and Mai. Neither Aang nor Appa was anywhere in sight. They all clambered out of the balloon with calls of welcome but Zuko's expression, more sour than usual even for him, silenced them all.

"Aang is not here," he said without pre-amble. "And Azula has escaped. Or was helped to escape. She either took Katara with her or Katara helped her get away. And I have an invasion of rebellious Fire Nation warriors coming my way soon. Guys, I could use a hand."

* * *

"I still think it is ridiculous to accuse Katara of freeing your crazy sister," said Sokka. They were all sitting around the fire and eating a meal that had been cooked by Hung Ji. Apparently, he was Zuko's body servant and trusted aide. Sokka thought he needed to smile more often, but he could cook. Sokka was on his third helping.

"I didn't say she did it, Sokka," said Zuko. "I just said they are both gone."

"But you sure implied that …" Sokka started again.

"Sokka, put a 'socka' in it," said Toph. "Zuko's here for help, not to point fingers."

Sokka bit off what he had been about to say. Toph's pun had left him momentarily silent. When had she learned to come up with the good puns?

"We have multiple problems and plenty of other crises to go around," said Mai. "Still, I suspect when we find Azula then we may find Katara as well." Mai no longer acted bored, Sokka noted, and she and Zuko were sitting very close. When they first arrived, Mai and Ty Lee had been all hugs and smiles and everyone had congratulated heartily on their engagement. Suki had given him a very direct look that sent a shiver down his spine, however much he loved the girl. Sometimes he still felt like a kid.

"Well then we need to split up?" suggested Ty Lee cheerily. Sokka thought the girl would smile if she was told she was going to be tossed into a pot of boiling water.

"I will go after Azula," said Zuko quickly.

The look Mai gave Zuko stopped the Fire Lord short. Sokka had thought that Zuko looked whipped and the young man's reaction proved it.

"You're the Fire Lord, Zuko," said Mai. "You're going back to do your job." Zuko started to protest but his words trailed off under her direct glare. Yep, though, Sokka, whipped.

"Have you tried to find that crazy bounty hunter ... what's her name?" suggested Sokka.

"Jun," said Zuko. "There was no time. She could be anywhere, but that is certainly an option. I put a trusted local investigator in the cell to check things out. The cell window bars were cut, but not with a knife. They went overland to a water inlet not far from the palace or prison. Clearly they were picked up by someone in a ship, so they had outside help. I have not really tried to limit Azula's visitors so she could have worked it out with nearly anyone."

"If they took a ship they could be anywhere," said Suki. "How do you expect us to help you find them?"

"I have no idea, really," said Zuko a little harshly. Sokka noted that the old Zuko came out often enough when he was under pressure. Mai laid a hand on his shoulder and he quieted. "Sorry. I just don't know. I think that maybe looking for Jun is a good idea. I brought some of Azula's stuff in case that was the direction we chose. I'll send you with the second balloon to see what you can find Jun. The new balloon design is faster. And a pilot who can fire bend so you don't have to stop."

"I can't believe we are going off on another life-changing adventure," said Ty Lee excitedly.

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy.

"What?" said Ty Lee. "Last time Azula unleashed dangerous animals and set the net on fire beneath me while I was balancing on the high wire. Meeting up with old friends is a much better way to set out."

"That sounds like Azula," said Zuko. "I hope she hasn't involved Katara in something dangerous."

"I wish Aang was coming," said Sokka. "At times like this, the Avatar would come in handy."

"Not to mention Appa," said Suki.

"Yeah, it makes you kind of miss the big fella," agreed Sokka.

Having made a decision, they sat quietly and finished their meal before Suki spoke up.

"What are you going to do about this invasion, Zuko?"

"We have our defenses ready, but no one is really keen to fight other Fire Nation," said Zuko. "There are being led by Admiral Akihito, who was a very ardent supporter of my father and rose quickly through the ranks to make admiral. Some say, too quickly. He was suspected several times of killing those who ranked above him, but the crimes were never pinned on him. Obviously when we recalled all the Fire Navy ships to home he didn't come and has purportedly gathered a good portion of our original fleet."

"Well what's the problem then?" asked Sokka. "You still have all the other ships."

Zuko gave Sokka a sour look. "Except that with the war over, we sent most of the Navy personnel home. We have recalled some, but we probably have fewer ships and men than they do."

"Speaking of problems," interjected Mai. "We really need to be getting back." They all rose and Sokka patted Zuko on the back.

"We'll find Katara and Azula, Zuko; you worry about that invasion," he said.

"Thanks, Sokka, I wish I was going with you instead," said Zuko. "Being Fire Lord is no fun. It almost makes me nostalgic for the days of wandering the Earth Kingdom with Uncle Iroh."

"And don't forget chasing the Avatar all over the world," said Sokka. Zuko shook his head and shared a smile with Sokka.

* * *

After two weeks of scouring the coast of the Earth Kingdom looking for Jun, Suki was not sure that being Fire Lord might not have been preferable to their search. They had started with Chin Village and worked their way up the coast, visiting dozens of seedy inns, taverns and other establishments of ill repute. None had turned up a hint of the bounty hunter. Oh, many of them had heard about her, but no one knew where she was. They were currently sitting in a small tavern in a coastal trading town that Sokka had visited once with Aang and Katara.

"This drink is not bad," said Ty Lee. Her fellow Kyoshi warrior was starting to get on Suki's nerves. The girl could find a ray of sunshine on the darkest day.

"Sure it is," said Sokka, "if you enjoy drinking muddy water."

"Muddy water?" said Toph. "Where? I'll trade some for my drink."

"I hear you are looking for Jun," came a voice. All of them but Toph looked up to see a man, well, a young man, standing over them. Suki thought he might have been handsome until he turned to look at her and she was surprised to see that a large scar or burn had disfigured his cheek, taken off most of his ear and left a long line back into his hair where nothing grew. He wore a patch over one eye and held his head in such a way to take them all in with his one good eye.

Sokka spoke first.

"We might be?"

"Why do you want to find her?" ask the young man.

"Why are you trying to find her?" asked Toph. "Jun looks for people; people don't look for her."

The man turned to study Toph who was looking at him with her hardest, cloudy-eyed stare. He flinched when he realized she was blind. He recovered quickly and then looked around again, eyeing them as if trying to reach a decision. "May I join you?"

"Please do," said Ty Lee politely.

The young man found a chain and returned, putting the back of the chair to the table and straddling it to free up the sword he was wearing belted at his waist. "My name is Dong Fei. I'm a friend of Jun's and I can't find her either."

Suki shared a look with Sokka and Ty Lee.

"You know something," said Dong Fei.

"It does seem a bit odd," said Sokka nodding slowly.

"What's odd?" said the young man.

"We are looking for two people who disappeared under suspicious circumstances," said Suki carefully. "We have history with Jun and we thought we might try to use her to help us track them. It just seems awfully odd that the one bounty hunter we know is missing."

"Who are these missing people?" said Dong Fei.

Suki looked at Sokka, then Ty Lee. Sokka shrugged.

"We are getting nowhere doing what we have these last two weeks," said Toph suddenly. "Just tell him. I don't think he is lying." Dong Fei started again and stared at Toph more closely. She must have guessed he was looking at her and she returned his stare until he turned away.

"One is my sister, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe," said Sokka. "The other is the Princess Azula of the Fire Nation. She was being held in prison."

Dong Fei's face hardened at the mention of Fire Nation.

"Not a Fire Nation fan?" said Suki. Sokka snickered, but Dong Fei looked confused and then angry. Sokka raised his hands to placate the newcomer.

"Just a bad pun," said Sokka. "We've had our Fire Nation problems in the past, too, but we happen to know the current Fire Lord and he's a good guy."

"If you say so," said Dong Fei in a hard voice.

"When is the last time you heard from Jun?" asked Suki.

"It was more than a month ago," said Dong Fei. "We had lunch over in Kinling on the other side of the mountains. She told me she was off to meet a client. Now I wonder if that deal was not involved in her current disappearance."

Suki looked at Sokka and Ty Lee and they all shrugged their shoulders, but it was Toph who spoke up.

"We're not getting anywhere here," she said. "Let's try this Kinling. How would you like to join our group?"

"I already snooped around Kingling," said Dong Fei. "That's a dead end."

"Well then, we are stuck," said Sokka.

"Maybe not," said Dong Fei. He was considering each of them in turn. Sokka thought he made a decision and went on. "Jun's did not take her Shirshu to this meeting she told me about. I thought it pretty odd at the time, but she must have sensed there was going to be danger."

"Or she didn't want to be recognized," suggested Sokka.

"That too," said Dong Fei. "Normally, Nyla won't hunt for anyone but Jun, but maybe if he has not seen her in weeks he will be motivated enough to follow her trail."

"Where did Jun leave her animal?" asked Suki.

"She left Nyla with me," said Dong Fei. "There is an old Fire Nation stronghold just inland that was abandoned when the war ended. Nobody moved in and I left her penned up there with enough food for a couple of weeks. Hopefully she stayed put. That one can climb pretty well."

"Then let's get out of here," said Toph. "I can't take anymore of this mud drink."

"Wait," said Sokka. "Let's not all leave together."

"I'll go with Dong Fei," suggested Toph. "Let's meet on the north end of town in an hour."

"We should just meet at the fortress," said Dong Fei. "It's easy to spot; just follow the river inland."

"Then let's meet there tonight after we pick up supplies," said Sokka. He reached out to offer his hand to their new partner. Dong Fei shook his hand, then Suki and Ty Lee. He left with Toph, but not before she whispered a quick 'I'll keep an eye on him," before winking and leaving. Sokka groaned. Now everyone thought they could be a comedian.

* * *

Kinki tipped back his hat and watched the tall, scar-faced boy leave the tavern. One of the girls from the other group was following him. Now things were even more complicated. There were two groups who were both looking for the Jun girl and neither of them could be allowed to find her. He nodded to Linko across the street. Linko and his men would take care of the scarred boy and the girl. Kinki would wait for the others to come out.

* * *

After a dozen or so minutes, Suki led them out of the tavern and down toward the dock. Zuko had given them some extra coins and they stocked up on a few items before taking the main dockside road south to the river.

"I like the new guy," said Ty Lee. "He seems a little … reserved, but I think he will fit in just fine." Ty Lee was cart wheeling and walking on her hands half the time, continuing an unending flow of talk. "Not that the Kyoshi warriors are not a great family, but it is nice to get out and see some more of the world." Suki and Sokka shared a look, shook their heads and continued walking.

"Someone is following us," said Ty Lee without changing her tone of voice. Sokka spun around and sure enough, someone jumped behind a tree. Suki smacked him on the back of the head.

"What was that for?" complained Sokka.

"Now they know that we know," said Suki. "You should know better than to turn around."

"Oh, yeah," said Sokka sheepishly.

"Come on," said Suki. "Let's make them run if they want to catch us." She darted away and Sokka was soon huffing to keep up. Ty Lee had not even broken a sweat.

"Duck, Sokka!" said Ty Lee and shoved him out of the way as a large rock went flying through the air where he had been. He rolled to a stop and turned to see Suki and Ty Lee facing off against a dozen or so men. Both had kept their katanas sheathed and had their fans out. Sokka scrambled to his feet and took a place beside them.

"End of the line for you three," said a man who had moved out from the others. He stepped out into a horse stance and Sokka had a sinking feeling that they were confronting an Earth Bender. He wished Toph had not run off with Dong Fei. He hoped she was all right.

* * *

Toph strode along easily behind Dong Fei, pleased that her new height and leg length let her match his pace. He felt solidly connected to the earth and confident in where they were going. He was not very talkative, but that was fine with her. She concentrated on the feel of the ground and the rise of the land.

"Whoa," Toph stopped short. Dong Fei took two more steps and then stopped as well. "Someone is out there," she said. "In front of us."

"How do you know?" said Dong Fei doubtfully.

"I can feel them," said Toph. "They are moving carefully, but they are still moving."

"You're an Earth Bender," he said.

"Yeah," she said.

"Well, we can take 'em," said Dong Fei who moved and turn away. His movements were familiar and she had her own moment of intuition.

"You're an Earth Bender, too," she said.

"Yeah," he said.

"Well, here they come," said Toph. She was worried for her friends. If they had followed the two of them then the others were likely in danger as well and they had no benders. Oh, well, she thought. One problem at a time. "Come on out, ya chicken-rabbits, we know you are there. Come get yer butts kicked." Dong Fei laughed as the people in the forest approached. Toph smiled. Anyone who could laugh in the face of danger had to have a steady nerve.

"We warned you to stay away before, Dong Fei," came a voice. "Now your choices are done."

"No, your choices are done," said Toph and she stepped forward and stomped, then brought her hands up abruptly. A stone pillar shot out of the ground beneath each of the nine men, sending some of them flying. Three of them moved aside and bent earth out of the ground. She heard the solid smacks as they hit or kicked the earth and she threw up a shield quickly so that the compacted dirt exploded harmlessly. She shoved the rock wall towards them and took out two of the benders who grunted loudly. The other dodged and planted a foot solidly and she flicked her wrist quickly to capture his foot in earth. The earth bender's momentum caused him to flail wildly for balance and she moved her wrist again to release the foot and she sensed a solid thump as he face planted into the ground.

Some of the other non-benders were moving about again, but they were not threatening anyone. She turned to Dong Fei who had hardly moved since the fight had started.

"Well! Are you a bender or not?" she said.

"Uh, well … I thought I was," he said. "Until I just saw what you did." He turned and hammered his foot into the earth, causing a rock to pop up. She heard his fist smack the rock and fly in the direction of one of the moving men. It wasn't a very big rock. A grunt came from the man and Toph felt another thump on the ground.

"That wasn't bad," she said. "You just need a little more confidence." None of the men were coming in their direction. "Let's go look for my friends. Which way to the river road?"

"Come on," said Dong Fei. "We'll find them."

* * *

"This would go easier on you if you would just tell us who sent you," said Sokka. He was standing in a half circle with Suki and Ty Lee around a man they had suspended upside down from a tree. Of the dozen men who had attacked them, seven had run away and they had questioned the others in turn. None seemed inclined to give up any info.

"I say we leave them here," said Suki. "Hopefully, they won't run into any moose-lions. I hear they don't come down this far out of the mountains." Sokka grimaced at the large, purple lump on her cheek where one of the benders had hit her with a rock. It had not saved him from her thumping him, but he felt like he should have protected her better.

The man's eyes had widened at the moose-lion comment. Maybe it might loosen up his tongue.

"You know," said Ty Lee brightly, "if you hang upside-down long enough, you pass out. I've heard the raven-squirrels of these woods don't mind eating carrion. Of course, you won't be dead yet, but you won't be able to keep them from pecking your eyes out with their bills." She delivered the entire phrase in such a happy-go-lucky manner that it made Sokka shiver. She had taken down three of the earth benders, who were currently tied up together, waiting their turn for questioning.

"I don't think this is going to get us anywhere," said Sokka. "Let's just leave them. Toph is going to wonder where we are if we are not there by nightfall."

"If we leave them here then someone will find them and let them go," said Suki. "And then they will just be following us again."

"Or the raven-squirrels will poke out their eyes," said Ty Lee.

Sokka, Suki and Ty Lee all exchanged glances, nodded and then turn away.

"Wait!" called the hanging man.

"Shut up, Pei Fon," said one of the earth benders.

The companions kept walking.

"Please! Let me go!" called the first man. "I'll tell you what you want to know."

"I said, 'Shut up!'" from the earth bender again.

Sokka stopped and returned.

"Who wants us stopped?" said Sokka.

"Well, I don't know exactly who hired us … " began the man.

Sokka turned around and started to walk.

"OK, OK, it was the Free Earth Consortium," said the man. "They want to pay back the Fire Nation for all the damage and loss that happened during the war and occupation."

Suki and Ty Lee had come back and Sokka stared at them in confusion. Why did this consortium want to find Azula and Katara first? Surely, they would not have joined an anti-Fire Nation movement.

Unfortunately, further questions did not yield any useful information. In the end, they untied the upside down man and put him with the rest. It was nearly dark and they were still a good ways from the fortress when Toph and Dong Fei burst out of the woods.

"You guys are all right!" said Toph hugging Suki. "We were attacked after we left town."

"So were we," said Sokka, "By the Free Earth Consortium."

"Those guys," said Dong Fei.

"You've heard of them?" asked Sokka.

"Yeah, they are responsible for most of the attacks and damage against the Fire Nation people who were allowed to stay in the Earth Kingdom," said Dong Fei. "They want all Fire Nation to be thrown out of these lands."

"So why would they be trying to stop us?" asked Toph.

"I don't understand," said Dong Fei, "but I suspect that Jun will if we can find her. Let's get moving. They probably won't stop following us unless we kill them. They are widely known to be complete fanatics."

"Then let's move," said Suki.


	3. Chapter 3

**Plans**

"Toph, it's days like this that I am glad you are on our side," said Sokka. Thunderstorms had been running through the mountains for some time and they were hunkered down in a large earth tent that kept all of them dry.

"Why thank you, Sokka," she smiled. "It is nice to be appreciated.

Dong Fei regarded the group with interest. Just judging from the fights he has seen, they were very capable. Toph herself was practically an army. She had begun to give him lessons of a sort, but she was a hard taskmaster accepting nothing but his best effort. Despite her abrupt personality, he liked her, probably because she could not see his hideous facial scar and thus never stared at it.

Sokka and Suki were clearly together and they regarded Toph as something closer to a sister than just a friend. He had asked Toph about it once when they were alone and Toph's answer had been cryptic.

"Dong Fei, when you share a moment with a friend where only the strength of his grip is keeping you from falling a thousand feet to your death, he becomes more than a brother," she said. "Then, when it looked like we would both fall, Suki drove an airship under us in the nick of time." And that was all she would say.

"Then why do you two argue so much?" he asked.

Toph smiled. "Brothers and sisters always fight."

Fortunately for the group, "setting up" their tent never took long, so they had been moving steadily for two days despite the storms. Nyla was not at all happy at the rain, since it washed out most of the scent she used to track. Still, the strange beast had been moving in a steady line into the mountains and seemed to be in a hurry to find Jun.

"It looks like things are letting up," said Suki.

They waited a few more minutes until the shower passed over and set off again once Toph had smoothed over the area and they had done their best to remove any trace. Nyla started moving again quickly and was constantly leaving and coming back, as if urging them to more speed. They traveled until dark and set up just short of a pass over the mountains and settled down to talk over dinner.

"Nyla has taken us in a different direction than I expected," said Dong Fei. "She's sort of following an old road that leads to the formerly abandoned city of Taku. The city is slowly being rebuilt, but the road leads through the mountains to a ford across the River Yanse. A town by the same name surrounds the bank because the river is to shallow there to sail large ships."

"Do you have any idea how far away Jun might be?" asked Sokka.

"No," said Dong Fei. "Nyla is only staying with us because she knows me, but I have no way of figuring out the distances. I'm not sure Nyla even thinks that way. I suspect she will grow more agitated as we get closer to wherever Jun might be."

"Do you think it might be in this Yanse?" asked Toph.

"It's the biggest city around here and controls all the trade between Ba Sing Se and the Northern Water Tribe," said Dong Fei. "There is definitely a seedy element to the city and there are a lot of contacts for all sorts of services there."

"Who do you think Jun might be looking for there?" ask Toph.

"Well, I still think she might be a prisoner," said Dong Fei, then hesitated.

"You suspect more, don't you?" asked Suki.

"A lot of rumors about the Earth Consortium originate in Yanse," said Dong Fei. "If you put together the fact that we were attacked by their folks and that Nyla is headed that direction, I think the consortium abducted Jun to prevent her from doing something. Maybe something to do with you guys."

The others mulled this over for a while and Sokka was the first to speak.

"Something very odd is going on here," he said. "Why do we have rebel Fire Nation and Earth Consortium both trying to stop us?"

"Maybe they are working together?" said Ty Lee.

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy, but she just shrugged her shoulders. "You never know."

"Maybe that is why is seems so strange," said Suki. "It doesn't make sense for those two groups to work together."

"Maybe they are both chasing the same thing," said Toph. "I mean, let's assume Katara hasn't lost her mind. That means she was either captured or helped Azula escape. She would not do that if she didn't have a really good reason. Maybe a reason that really interests Zuko's enemies."

"Either way, I think things are going to be very interesting in Yanse," said Dong Fei.

* * *

Zuko stared at the map and shook his head before closing his eyes and rubbing them.

"They are just sitting there, daring to attack us," he said.

"I fear so, Fire Lord," said one of his admirals.

"Which sort of implies it's a trap or they are not worried about what kind of fleet we can sail right now," said Zuko. "They are massing for an attack then. How long does it take to prepare an invasion like they might be planning?"

"Months, likely," said another advisor.

"As in two months or six?" he asked.

"Probably two," said the man.

"And they have rebuffed any efforts at reconciliation?" he said.

"The reports say that Akihito is there now and making no attempt to hide it," said the first admiral. "And that he sent our last messenger back without a head."

Zuko forgot he had been holding one of the map figures until a loud snap surprised him. He looked down at the wooden ship and bit down hard on his temper. "No one told me that," he said. "It is going to be war again, isn't it? Civil war."

"I think it is unavoidable, Fire Lord," said the admiral.

"Burn Akihito," muttered Zuko. He really wished Aang were here. His friend had a way about him that helped calm tempers and stop fights. The potential to wash someone away in a tidal wave or bury them in an avalanche probably helped him there, but Zuko thought it has nearly as much to do with his friend's character as any threat of violence.

The door opened abruptly and Zuko looked up, annoyed. Until he saw who was standing there.

It was Uncle Iroh.

Something in Zuko changed in that moment. He had felt like a man being washed down a river with no hope of being saved and suddenly there was a tree limb he could reach out and grab. Abandoning any dignity, he leaped up and rushed across the room to envelope Iroh in a hug accompanied by a single word. "Uncle!"

"Well, it is a great honor to be greeted so by the Fire Lord," he said with a hint of a smile, but Zuko noted his eyes were watery. For that matter, Zuko blinked away a few tears himself.

The others in the room had stood respectfully.

"General Iroh," said one of the advisors, "your wisdom is welcome here in our council."

Iroh bowed and walked with Zuko back to the map. Zuko was dying to ask him why he had come, but kept his questions to himself for the moment.

Uncle Iroh studied the map for a few moments before commenting.

"So Akihito is finally massing for an attack," he said. "He always was a trifle overambitious."

"You are well-informed, general," said another of Zuko's advisors.

"Oh, I hear things now and then in my tea shop," he said modestly and then smiled. "And the Earth King invites me to tea once a week."

There was little more to discuss and few orders to give after that because really, they were as prepared as they would ever be. Now they had to wait.

Once the others had left he turned to his Uncle immediately.

"I can't believe you talked me into this job, Uncle," he said, with a voice just short of accusing.

His uncle only laughed.

"I hear you are doing a pretty good job," he said, "but you look thin and pale. How much are practicing your bending each day."

Zuko shook his head. "I can't even remember the last time I did any bending." His laugh was bitter. "The only bending I do is ink bending and meeting bending."

Iroh laughed again. Zuko could not help but smile at the hearty laugh. His uncles positive attitude had annoyed him years ago, but now he found it helped.

"I asked Mai to marry me," he said. "And she even said yes."

This time it was his uncle's turn to rush and hug him.

"That's great news, Zuko," he said. "I'm sure you will be very happy."

"And Azula escaped," said Zuko.

His uncle's smile vanished and his expression hardened. "That cannot be good."

"Well, we don't really know why," said Zuko. "She either had Katara's help or kidnapped her when she escaped. And it happened just when Aang went off on his search for surviving airbenders. I'm not a big believer in coincidence."

"How do you think they might be linked?" asked Iroh.

"I have no idea," said Zuko. "That is why it is infuriating. I met with the others to see if they might help." Zuko didn't even need to say who he meant.

"Ah, well, your friends will get to the bottom of everything, I'm sure," said Iroh.

"It would be nice if they sent a message now and then," said Zuko. "So Uncle, why did you come now? Not that I'm complaining, or anything. A day has not passed during the last two years when I didn't think it would be nice to have your advice. Though Mai has been a great help."

"A good wife will help you be more than you could ever manage on your own," said Iroh. "In any case, I'm here because you have a problem and I thought I should be here to help."

"I've been having problems for the last two years, Uncle," said Zuko.

Again he laughed. "But you have managed them on your own, have you not?"

"Sort of," said Zuko.

"And if I had been here all along you would never have learned so many good lessons," said Iroh. "Now they see you as Fire Lord."

"I suppose," said Zuko.

"Well, now you have a much bigger problem and I can help," he said. "So I'm here."

Zuko blew out a breath and realized he felt so much better already, almost like he had been carrying around a huge load and someone had come to relieve him of the burden.

"Well Prince Iroh," he said, "I will announce your return at dinner then."

Iroh's scowl was so funny that Zuko burst out laughing and Iroh's face softened and joined him.

"It won't quite be like old times, running from Azula in the Earth Kingdom, but we should be able to make it through," said Iroh.

* * *

Aang had been chasing stories through the southwestern Earth Kingdom islands for weeks and even Appa was getting tired of flying over water. Always there was a new story of rumored airbenders, but that was all they had been so far—rumors. Today he was meeting with the next in a line of informants that seemed determined to take him halfway across the world.

The shabby tavern did not look promising, but the name fit the one he had been given, so he went inside anyway. It was dark, smoky and smelled of bad drink and too many unwashed bodies. He kept his hood up, despite the heat and hoped to keep his identity a secret if possible. He found an empty table and waited for the server, who seemed annoyed that he started asking her questions instead of ordering. When he finished his request, she looked at him oddly and then pointed to the back.

"He's outside?" said Aang.

"No," she said hurriedly. "It's a private dining room."

Aang nodded and walked quickly to the door she had indicated. He pushed on through to an even darker room where a man sat at the back at a small table. He crossed the room and still the man did not move.

"Are you Hun Wan?" he asked.

The man looked up then, with a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Welcome Avatar," he whispered and then something hit Aang in the back of the head.

* * *

Aang came to with a headache, but soon that was only one of his worries. The rocking motion told him he was on a ship but only a hint of light snuck through a crack under the door. His arms were tied to his feet behind his back tightly enough that any struggling pulled painfully on his muscles. He was a prisoner. And it had all been a trap. Deep down Aang knew there had never been any surviving Airbenders. They had only been a story to lure him to a place where he could be taken.

The memory of Monk Gyatso's face came to him and Aang started to cry.


	4. Chapter 4

**Rescue**

 **"** I'm guessing Jun is inside," said Sokka as he watched Dong Fei try to keep Nyla under control. They had followed the animal to the edge of the city and then waited until dark before entering in the hope that the night would hide their peculiar guide from watching eyes. Sokka wondered how the creature could smell anything over the ripe smell of too many people in too small an area. Nyla had led them to a warehouse on the edge of the river in an area that looked fairly run-down.

"Let's have Ty Lee and Suki climb up and have a look in from above," he suggested. The two Kyoshi warriors nodded in agreement. "We'll go around back and wait. Toph can keep an ear to the ground and listen for trouble, so make a racket if you need us to come in through the back." The women nodded again and quickly began scaling the wall.

"I'll find us a good spot," said Toph and led them through the maze of debris toward the back of the warehouse. She found a place in the deepest shadows and put her ear to the wall.

"Someone is definitely talking inside, but I can't quite make out what they are saying," she said.

Sokka nodded, but Dong Fei looked agitated.

"How are we going to help them from back here?" he asked.

"Toph is going to make us a door," said Sokka.

"What?" said Dong Fei, even more confused.

"I'm going to punch a hole in the wall, Big Guy," said Toph and flashed a quick smile. Only the white of her teeth were visible in the gloom. "Now be quiet so I can listen."

* * *

Suki crawled carefully to the lip of a open window that had been broken and did her best to see through the grimy remnants at the edge of the frame. The warehouse was mostly empty and appeared to be a meeting place for the group gathered below. There were about twenty men gathered in a rough circle with only the light of one lantern sitting between them on a barrel. Some were seated on rough stools while others stood behind those who were sitting. They were not trying to be quiet and Suki could hear them quite clearly.

" … don't know where they are. In fact, we don't know where either group is right now." A large man with a blonde beard and hair was addressing the group which looked to be having a contentious argument.

"Well your men couldn't even take care of a few kids over by Pohuai, so why should we expect them to be able to follow two unarmed girls," said a man opposite the first speaker.

"You watch your mouth, Ben," said the first man. "Those Fire nation idiots gave us no warning about what to expect. If you think Mollo and his boys were defeated by a couple of ordinary kids then you are a moron."

"Mollo is little more than a thug," said another man who was further back in the shadow. "I think we need to send some of our better operatives. What about the guys who pulled off the raid on Ember Island?"

"Oh, I wouldn't give those guys too much credit said the first speaker. "Ember Island is a resort. Just because they managed to burn down a few houses without losing anyone doesn't mean they can fight."

As the debate went on, Suki realized there was some sort of collusion between the Earth Nation terrorists and the Fire Nation rebels. Suki wondered what could possibly bring two such groups together to find common ground. She began to weigh the usefulness of further listening with the possibility that Nyla was going to do something to alert the others. She could not see any sigh of Jun, but the area lit by the lantern was quite small. She counted the men again and saw that there were thirteen of them that could be seen. How many unseen guards was another question entirely. She motioned to Ty Lee and they moved back from the window.

"I want you to stay and listen for any more information," whispered Suki. "If we start a fight you can drop in from above." Ty Lee nodded and crawled back to the window while Suki picked her path across the rooftop carefully. She descended where she had climbed but froze halfway down as a guard came into sight, lazily walking around the building in the area lit by the moonlight.

She quickly realized that his path would take him right past her position. She tensed in preparation to jump if he looked up. When he was only a few steps away she sprang away from the building and landed on his shoulders, driving him to the group. The man didn't even cry out, but only grunted as Suki rolled to her feet. He reached for a sword, but she was inside his guard quickly, striking him in the stomach so that he folded over and then a sharp blow to the back of the head. He collapsed and she heaved on his arm to drag him off into the shadow of the building.

She didn't bother trying to gag or tie him up since she didn't really have any rope or chord. After he was out of sight, she made her way as quickly as possible to the find her friends. They were waiting expectantly and she quietly explained what she had seen. 

"So do we kick butt now, or wait to see if we can do this more quietly once they all leave?" asked Toph.

"I say we go now," said Sokka. "When that guard wakes up, we will lose the surprise. Toph, can you get us in there quietly?"

"Uh, bend metal quietly?" said Toph incredulously. "Sokka, if you want me to make a door everyone within a few blocks of here will know it."

"You can't bend metal," said Dong Fei. "That's ridiculous."

"Speak for yourself," said Toph. "Do we go or not, Sokka?"

"We go," he said. Neither he nor Suki pulled their swords. They would do this without bloodshed, if possible. "Dong Fei, you go through first with Nyla and find Jun. The rest of us will take care of the men inside."

Toph cracked her knuckles loudly and then turned and put her hands to the wall. Into the wall.

Dong Fei gasped when she ripped a seam down the middle and then stepped to the side and widened the hole. Nyla jerked out of his hands and darted through the hole. Dong Fei ducked in after the beast and followed.

Toph was through next followed by Suki and Sokka. They sprinted toward the open area with the lantern as the men there had stood and turned to face the unrecognized sound of metal being ripped. After spending so much time in the dark the three attackers could clearly see their opponents while the surprised men had very little warning.

Sokka barreled into the most closely packed men and brought down four of them in a tangle of limbs. He rolled over one man and came to his feet quickly to block the punch of a very large man with a beard; Sokka's counterstrike to the ribs yielded a gasp and cry of pain as the big man hunched over and then fell to the earth. The next man came at him with a sword but did a face plant at Sokka's feet when Suki took him down from behind. Sokka felt the ground shake and saw a man fly into a wall propelled by a pillar of earth.

"Sokka, duck," cried Suki.

He whirled and crouched in time to toss the man over his shoulder on top of the first man; both of them cried out. Two men faced off against Sokka next, but one collapsed in a heap after receiving a flying kick from Ty Lee. The second man turned to flee but was struck in the back of the knees by a flying fan and fell with a howl in a cloud of dust. Sokka spun again to see that there were still four men on their feet with bared blades. Their stances said that maybe they knew what to do with them.

The men spread out as Sokka pulled his blade free of its scabbard nearly in unison with that of Suki and Ty Lee. The man in the middle went down with a stone in the gut. Instead of waiting for rest to come, Sokka attacked furiously driving them back in a flurry of quick strikes. He heard grunts and panting from the others but pushed it aside as he focused on everything master Piandao had taught him and Suki had reinforced. The man was very good and counterattacked ferociously with greater strength. Sokka blocked easily but each blow was like a hammer strike.

They circled each other and Sokka noted subconsciously that the others were all down or watching anxiously.

"Well, boy, you seem to know what you are doing with that sword, but I've been killing people with mine since before you were born," said the man, speaking for the first time. "Run away now and I'll let you live." Sokka noted his opponent was breathing hard and sweating in the warm air.

"In case you haven't noticed, your friends are not coming to help," said Sokka and feinted toward the man's legs. His opponent's sword dipped and Sokka moved to lock blades and kick him in the thigh. A knife-hand strike to the man's wrist made him lose his grip on the hilt of his blade. Sokka ducked under a weak blow and used the blunt edge of his sword to sweep the man's legs. The air whooshed out of his lungs and it was quiet.

"Nice job, Sokka," said Toph. "We would have helped, but it looked like you had things under control."

"Did Dong Fei find Jun?" asked Sokka.

"I'm touched," came a voice from the shadow. "Who knew I had so many friends?" June walked into the light of the lamp which had somehow managed to stay upright through the fight. She looked somewhat worse for the wear, with lank hair and dark circles under her eyes but her haughty attitude was unchanged. Nyla's head was under her hand and she stroked his fur affectionately. "I wish you had saved me a couple of these meatheads. I owe them a few bruises." One of the men next to her groaned and began to move and her foot whipped out and struck him in the temple. The man went limp.

"We have a lot to talk about," said Sokka.

The group had crossed the river in the dark and bought supplies from the first vendor they could find open in the morning. Everyone was showing the strain of the chase, but were also excited after the rescue of Jun. Unfortunately, she had not agreed to join them in their search, but had provided enough information to point them north into the mountains, to a small town, unimaginatively named Endpost because it was the last place anyone lived on the road north.

"Oh, I heard enough to know they were headed for Endpost and that there were more than a few people after them," said Jun. "I also heard more than a little speculation about some sort of lost city up in the mountains. There's always speculation like that because no one can ever go there."

"Why not?" ask Ty Lee.

"There is a nasty bunch of critters in the woods north of town that extend all the way to the mountains," said Jun. "Most of them are fire breathers and some of them can fly. The eagle-dragons are the worst, of course. I heard a couple of folks bought one of those war balloons and tried to fly over the forest." She made a waving motion. "Never heard from again."

"This is so weird," said Sokka. "Why would they be going to such a place?"

"And on friendly terms," said Jun. "Everything I overheard of those two was that they were working together and making life difficult for the men the Consortium had sent to silence them."

"And the Consortium is doing it for the Fire Nation rebels?" asked Suki.

"Draw your own conclusions," said Jun, "but that is my guess, based off stuff I saw. Oh, the meetings were never very friendly, for sure, but they were definitely planning something together."

Jun had ridden Nyla north of town long enough to confirm that Kitara was still north of them and then waved them goodbye.

"Good luck saving the world again," she said.

"Who said we were … " began Sokka before Suki punched him in the arm.

"It was a joke, Ponytail," said Jun. "Don't get yourself killed."

Oddly, Dong Fei had decided to stay with them, so the five of them traveled north as quickly an unobtrusively as possible. It took them a week to reach Endpost, but mere hours to confirm that many folks in town had seen girls matching the description of Katara and Azula but not for more than two weeks.

"I heared they met with young Lothar," said the first innkeeper to who they spoke. "He lives on the other side of town. Nobody has seen any sigh of them for a while, so I imagine they headed off into the forest with 'im."

Unfortunately, no one really wanted to talk to them about it because the big news in town was the small army that had come through a week ago and roughed up the place.

"They took most of our supplies and didn't pay much for them, either," groused one merchant. "They were an odd group. Some looked local, Earth Nation I mean, but others look out of place, even if they was all wearin' the same uniforms."

"I think we better not stay in town," said Suki as the end of the day. "I have a feeling the army might have left a few people behind to ensure no one was following." To this, they all agreed despite a few grumbles from Sokka about sleeping in a real bed.

"At least we will be able to travel faster than the army," said Ty Lee.

"Yes," agreed Suki. "Armies rarely move very fast, but I'm not sure how that is going to help. The villagers gave numbers between five hundred and a thousand men. If any of them were benders then there is not much we can do if we catch them."

"Did you notice, though, how the villagers thought they were crazy for trying to cross the forest?" mentioned Dong Fei. "They seemed to think that the predators were going to have a feast."

"Well let's hope their bellies are full by the time we catch up so none of them want to eat us," said Sokka.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Fire Forest**

Endpost-two weeks earlier

"My name's Zulona," said the hard-faced girl with the dark hair and then with a ghost of a smile added quickly, "and this is Kitty." The other girl frowned at the one who had called herself Zulona, but covered it with a quick smile. "Pleased to meet you," she said.

"My name is Lothar," he said. "Why don't you tell me why you want to go into the wilderness?"

Lothar eyed the two young women closely as they began to spin out their story. They were both dark-haired and of a similar height, but that was where the resemblance ended. They were dressed in Earth nation clothes, but Lothar doubted either one was from his home continent. Nor did he believe very much of their story either. Oh, the hard-faced one, who had called herself Zulona was an excellent liar and he would have believed her in a minute if the other had not tried to add in various back story. The other, Kitty, was visibly uncomfortable whenever it was her turn to take up the narrative. Finally he decided enough was enough.

"Ok, I think I've heard enough, so let's not waste any more time," he said.

"So you'll help us?" said Kitty quickly.

"I didn't say that," said Lothar. "I've just heard enough of your story to know it was all made up." Kitty looked offended and Hard-face's expression grew even stonier, if that was possible. "You two arr clearly looking for something out in the Fire Forest wilderness. People don't just go there to sight see. The fact that the two of you are here alone tells me a couple of things. Either you are really stupid … " Kitty arched an eyebrow at him and her expression now more closely resembled her partner. " … or you are extremely confident to be traveling alone. That means you think you can take care of yourselves." He paused again, looking them up and down. "And you don't need weapons to do it, so I'm guessing you are benders." He raised an eyebrow at them and Hard-face's expression has softened into why she thought must be an endearing smile. It reminded Lother of a fire-leopard about to pounce on a rabbit.

"It's good to finally meet a man with some brains," said Zulona. "So where does that leave us?"

"Tell me the risks and let me make an informed decision," he said. "Walking into the Fireforest is no picnic hike and there will be times when we need to work together. Trust is sort of a requirement."

The two girls looked at each other for a moment and Hard-face rolled her eyes and nodded at Kitty. Kitty looked at him for several moments before also nodding and holding out her hand. "My name is Kitara," she said scowling at hard face, "and this is Azula."

Lothar tried not to clench down on his jaw too hard as he attempted to keep a smooth face. Even here in the middle of nowhere he had heard of the former Fire Lord's daughter and how she had conquered Ba Sing Se through intimidation and clever manipulation. A fire bender for sure.

"Did you chew rocks for dinner, or is that your way of not trying to act surprised?" said Azula.

Lothar's bark of laughter caused Kitara to jump and several other patrons to look around. Lothar ducked lower in his seat and watched Azula. She seemed pleased with her joke and was watching him closely.

"Ok," he went on, finally, "Names are good, but I need to know a little more of the why," he said.

"We want to see what's on the other side of the Fireforest, up in the mountains," said Kitara.

Lothar scowled. He would not have pegged them for treasure hunters but why else would they want to cross the Fireforest. "Nobody knows what is up there," he said. "You can't fly in thanks to the eagle-dragons and you can't really walk in because of everything else that prowls the woods."

"Then why did people point us your direction?" said Azula, looking irritated. "Your name came up every time we mentioned the Fire Forest."

"Because I go there more than anyone else," said Lothar. "I go in; I don't go all the way through."

"So you're not the least bit curious about what is in the mountains?" said Azula.

"Of course I'm curious," he said. "I'm curious about what will happen when I die, too, but I'm not in a hurry to find out."

"Well we'll take care of you, little man," said Azula. "I know a little bit about fire."

"I'm sure you do," he said, now more curious than he really should be. "And what about you Kitty? What can you do?"

"I can slap you silly with a water whip if you ever call me Kitty again," she said.

"A water bender," he said slowly, "traveling with a fire bender who just happens to be related to the new Fire Lord, who just happens to be best friends with the Avatar." They both tensed up and he suddenly wondered if he could survive two benders if they really wanted to do him in. "Are we on some secret mission to save the world?" Lothar tried to say it lightly, but now the two girls didn't look like girls at all; they looked like fighters on the edge of violence. Lothar slouched in seat even further and tried to appear relaxed.

They both watched him long enough that he was sweating heavily by the time they spoke again.

"Let's just say that we are looking for some long, lost … friends," said Azula finally. "And in fairness, we probably have a rebel Fire Nation army chasing us.. Maybe some earth benders as well."

Lothar digested that, surprised the fire bender had passed on that information. He had figured she would be the withholder of the duo. Something about the way Hard-face said it intrigued him, like it was an ant-fly buzzing about but not something to be considered of any really consequence. Lothar didn't keep track of every bit of news, but a surprising amount managed to find its way to Endpost. As such, he had heard rumors the fire nation was having some problems with some of their folks who didn't accept the present Fire Lord's peaceful policies and his attempts and reparations to the other lands. Now the Fire Lord's estranged sister was here along with a water bender. He combed his memory for stories of the war. Hadn't the Avatar traveled the world in the company of a young water bender? When Lothar had mentioned the Avatar she had flinched. The more he considered them, the more he felt like the world was spinning out of control with him in the center. Walking into the wild with these two young women was not going to be anything like taking the occasional hunter into the forest hunting dragon leopards.

Azula smiled at him again, almost daring him to agree to their mad scheme. Those eyes of hers were dark pools of mystery, waiting for him to discover what lay behind them. He shook his head, suddenly feeling odd.

"You two are crazy," he said. Azula flashed him the shark-teeth smile again. He was a minnocuda, about to be devoured by a large predator.

"We can't really pay you very much, either," admitted Kitara.

"That's all right," said Lothar. "I would be an idiot to agree."

"You've always wanted to cross the Fireforest, haven't you?" said Azula suddenly. "Because everyone says you can't do it."

Lothar started. Was she a mind reader, too? He did want to cross the fire forest. His curiosity was going to make him agree to guide them more than any other reason. And a chance to find out what made Azula smile. He reached across the table. "If we have an army following us, we ought to leave tonight," he said.

* * *

"What is that thing you are carrying?" asked Azula as soon as it was light the next day. They had walked through the night and everyone looked tired. "It's too long to use as a staff and too short to be a lance. It's not even pointed like a pike. Are you carrying it along for firewood?"

Lothar could not help but laugh.

"This is my ten-foot-pole," he said. "As in, I would not touch a wyvern with a ten foot pole."

"Are you telling me wyverns are real," said Katara.

"As real as the burn on my arm," said Lothar and pulled down the cuff of his right sleeve to reveal an angry, red scar. "Luckily the wyverns are not as aggressive as the eagle dragons, or this whole trip would be more than impossible."

"So what do you use it for?" asked Azula.

"It is good for poking the smaller predators and keeping them at a distance," he said. "The lava badgers and boar hawks especially, but I've used it to good effect against a fire leopard as well. And the occasional saber tooth moose-lion. I was up a tree once when a fire leopard tried to take on a moose-lion … not pretty."

"Well who won?" asked Azula.

"Well, neither won, really," said Lothar. "They were both a little cut up after the fact. Fire leopards really have to be lucky to take down a moose-lion."

"This sounds like a lovely forest," said Katara.

Lothar smiled.

"My dad used to bring me here all the time," said Lothar. "No one else would come here and there are all sorts of useful things to harvest. Which reminds me," he said and stopped and fished something out of his pack. "These are fire-ponchos. The material is made out of a local plant and won't burn. Both of you are better equipped to deal with fire than I am, but they are good to have."

"I'll pass," said Azula and Katara at the same time. "It would interfere with my bending." The two girls looked at each other and shared a smile.

"Ok, have it your way," he said, stuffing them back in the pack.

"Why aren't you wearing one?" asked Azula.

"Because my clothes are already made out of the stuff," he said. "And my jacket and pants are made of local deerskin; it is extremely fire resistant."

"Well I'm glad you are not wearing leather pants for fashion reasons," smirked Azula.

"Feel free to ignore Azula," said Katara. "She's not really versed in polite conversation having spent the last couple of years in prison." Azula made a face but didn't say anything.

"So the Fire Lord? He's really your brother?" asked Lothar, but Azula would say nothing.

Katara ended up telling him the story of how she and her brother had discovered the Avatar and travelled all around the globe.

"So the guy who chased you all over the four lands ended up joining your side?" said Lothar. "I guess you just never know what might happen."

Azula snorted explosively but said nothing.

They managed three hassle-free days of journey into the forest before the first problem arose. Katara being able to bend water out of plants had proven a great help on the trip, but this time water was not the problem.

"We have a pack of dragon-ants on our trail," he said. "I've only run across them a couple of times and normally this path if pretty far from their mounds."

"Why are you worried about ants?" asked Azula.

"Because these ants are as big as your hand, move as fast as we can walk or better, and don't sleep until they get back to their mound," he said. "Meaning they don't stop and one sting causes a burn blister the size of my fist. They're not hard to kill, but when a hundred of them come at you, numbers win out."

"So what do we do?" asked Katara, slightly alarmed.

"We keep walking and make sure we keep a constant distance with them," said Lothar. "About half a day's walk ahead is the only pool of decent size in the forest. They don't like water and will lose interest after a while."

"If they don't like water then let me take care of them," said Katara.

"Let me rephrase that," said Lothar. "They can't swim. Attacking them with water is really not very effective because their internal temperature is so high water just vaporizes on them. If you had a stream to work with, then maybe, but otherwise I think we are better off heading for the pond."

"You're the guide," said Katara.

"Why don't we just outrun them?" asked Azula.

"We could leave them behind for an hour or two, but they will just keep coming and we are going to need to rest eventually," he said. "That's why we need to keep a constant distance. Right now they are seemingly content to follow, but if they think we are getting away they will pick up the pace and then it becomes a question of whether they run us down and kill us or explode from too much internal temperature."

"Katara was right," scowled Azula, "this is such a lovely forest."

"There's no place like home, Zuli," teased Lothar. He was sure for a minute she meant to fry his eyebrows, but then she gave her shark-smile that promised retribution.

They walked steadily through the afternoon and into the evening. By nightfall Lothar was wondering if they were going to make it. They had been moving constantly for nearly 12 hours at a brisk pace and the girls were both staggering along, barely able to keep up. Suddenly Azula tripped and fell face-first in the dirt. Lothar helped her up but she shrugged him off with an angry expression on her face.

"I'm not taking one more step," she said. "It's time to fry some ants."

"Azula … " began Lothar, but Azula was already doing something odd that looked like bending but instead her hair stood on end as she traced unbearably bright patterns in the air. Suddenly she pointed and lightning shot out of her fingers into the pack of ants fifty or so feet behind them. The ground exploded and ants flew through the air.

Lothar could not see for several seconds and when his eyes did readjust to the low light he saw her weaving her lightning again.

"Azula, stop!" he cried. "Lightning won't kill dragon-ants. They are too well grounded and their bodies are not affected. The ants were now pouring over the ground, shrubs and trees toward them.

"Run!" he yelled and grabbed Azula's arm. "Katara, I'm not sure how close we are," he yelled as they stumbled along in the bad lighting. "Can you sense when water is nearby?"

"I'm looking, I'm looking," she gasped. "There's nothing."

"Then keep moving," he said, risking a glance back. The ants had closed about half the gap. Not good.

Within five minutes, Lothar knew they were not going to outrun them. The night was not hot enough to cause the ants to overheat. Suddenly her heard Katara cry out ahead. "This way!" She veered off to her left and continued to run just ahead of them. Azula was taking deep gasping breaths and running slightly hunched over. The change of tack had brought the ants right onto their heels. He grabbed her hand and pulled. "Come on Princess, this race is not lost yet." For a miracle she did not say a word and hung on to his hand tightly.

Lothar thought they might make it until the dragon-ant bit Azula's ankle.

Her grip was so tight that they tangled up as they rolled over. She was up again an instant before he came to his feet and fire exploded out of her hands.

"No!" he shouted, but too late. With the extra heat added dragon-ants began to explode, showering them with boiling hot animal matter. Azula's clothes ignited, but she reacted incredibly fast to bend the fire off her and up into the air. Lothar still had his staff and began to crush ants as they closed the circle. The sound of their chatter was unnerving as Lothar smashed any of them that came within his reach but now they were completely surrounded. He felt Azula draw one of his short swords and silently hoped she knew how to use it. Sweat was dripping in his eyes now and his chest inside his fire-jacket felt like it was going to spontaneously combust.

Azula cried out again at nearly the same moment an ant had pinched him above his boots which currently had three or four each hanging on. He pulled his long knife and slashed the head off the ant on his leg and then did the same to the one on Azula's calf. Two more pinched him and he knew they were done when he was suddenly smashed flat by a wall of water.

* * *

Katara burst on the small pond and immediately began to bend water into the octopus. She spun but the others were not behind her and then she heard Azula scream. She turned the octopus into a water wheel and then drew more and more water from the pond until she was straining to keep it up. She ran back in the direction of the scream.

When she burst on the scene she saw that Azula and Lothar were surrounded, with the dragon ants climbing their legs. She had to get them clear, somehow. The memory of a wave of water she had created to catch Aang in the catacombs below Ba Sing Se came back to her and she hurled the water down and then rode the wave across the ants to jerk her partners off the ground before they knew she was there.

Unfortunately, in Ba Sing Se she had an underground river's worth of water to use. This wave was much smaller but managed to deposit them outside the circle of ants. Lothar recovered quickly, using his sword to hack away the still clinging ants that remained on both of them. He jerked Azula to her feet and he turned to face Katara with a strained smile.

"Thanks, babe," he said. "You're a lifesaver. Take us to that pool."

* * *

Azula had to admit she was scared now. They had been forced to backtrack twice on their way to the pond when they had been cut off by the dragon-ants. What nasty little creatures they were. She felt useless. Lightning and fire did not help in this case. Her legs were screaming at her and felt like they were on fire with swollen ant bites.

"This way," called Katara and they made yet another loop around the little fire monsters.

"Come on, babe," we are going to make it," called Lothar and grabbed her hand again, pulling her along. She had to admit, he was tireless and all that prison time had done little to keep her in shape. The half-light from the setting sun was nearly gone and running was becoming increasingly dangerous. Just as she had that thought, a root caught her foot and she sprawled. She must have hit a rock with her knee when she landed because it would not support her weight. She fell back to her knees but Lothar jerked her back to feet.

"I can't walk, much less run," she screamed at him. "Just go."

"Losing customers is bad for business," he said and gave her a lopsided smile. He was cute, even covered in dirt and with his face red from burns. The next thing she knew, he had her arm and was pulling her towards him as he bent over. In a moment, he had her over his shoulder and was staggering off after Katara.

"I'm never going to hear the end of this," she said.

"Let's just hope … we are alive … to laugh about it … afterwards," he gasped.

* * *

Lothar felt like his every step was in danger of causing his knees to buckle. His chest was heaving and his legs were starting to swell in his leather pants. He broke through the trees to see the entire shoreline was covered with ants. Katara was already in the pool, bending water to clear a path, but there were too many. H ducked his head and stomping through the massed ants. Some of them hung on and started climbing his boots. He staggered once and fell to a knee. Azula screamed and he shoved himself off the ground and broke into a staggering run.

The water itself came as such a shock that it took his feet out from under him and he pitched unceremoniously into the water, which felt as cool as a glass of icewater. He came up spluttering and looked around for Azula who was looking bedraggled, but with an exultant expression on her face. Her full-bodied hug knocked him back over into the water and he came up again to Azula's laughter.

"Yeah, we're gonna live," he said, smiling back. Her face was very close to his and she was staring into his eyes. Her intense expression was suddenly replaced with a sheepish one and she released him and turned away to slosh through the water to where Katara was standing.

"Thank you Katara," she said. "You came back for us."

"Well, of course I came back for you," she said, looking exasperated. "I do not like you very much, Azula, but we made a deal. I keep my word."

"Well … thank you," said Azula.

"You are welcome," said Katara. Looking to Lothar she asked them what they were to do now.

"Wait for the ants to lose interest," he said.

"And how long with that take?" she asked.

"Who knows?" he said.

"So what do we do in the meantime?" asked Azula.

"Well, we should start by having a look at our burns," he said. He reached for his pack and pulled it off his shoulder to rummage through it. He brought out a jar and smiled. "Not broken," he said. "Now, Azula, let's see how many bites you have."

They spent the next hour treating each other's injuries. It was fully dark by then and they were exhausted. By the end of the hour, most of the ants had left. Between Lothar's burn salve and Kitara's water healing they were doing better than they had a right to expect.

"So, now what?" asked Kitara.

"You two try to get some sleep," he suggested. "Set up your blankets on the edge of the water and I'll keep watch. I doubt they will come back, but with the ants cleared out, other things might."

They both protested, but he pointed out that he was the guide and used to such things and soon they were fast asleep, despite their burns. In truth, he was exhausted, but it was not the worst he had ever felt. Now after fighting off the eagle-dragon … that had been bad. He had been hallucinating when a farmer's wife on the edge of Endpost had found him and treated him. That had probably been as close as he had ever been to dying before today. He wondered what secret was driving these two girls to seek out the other side of the forest.

They both seemed very young to be masters at bending, but neither of them was lacking in self-confidence. Azula especially seemed to fall back to sheer force to solve difficult problems. She had seemed very much at a loss earlier when fire bending did not solve anything with the dragon-ants. Something was going on between the two that they were not telling him. Something very odd. They did not seem to like each other very much and yet, they supported each other when things became difficult. And he had heard talk of a deal along with Azula being in prison. He wondered if Katara had helped Azula escape. Well, they were halfway through the forest and still alive, but this was as far as he had ever guided anyone himself. He had been deeper in with his father, but that was before the war. From now on, he'd be relying on old memories and luck.

Lothar shook his head and looked over at Azula. She didn't look like Hard-face when she was asleep. He wondered what it was like to be the daughter of the infamous former Fire Lord who was finally defeated by the Avatar. He could definitely use an Avatar right now. Relying on luck to survive the Fire Forest was a bad idea.

* * *

"Well, he seems pretty capable, doesn't he?" said Azula. She was walking with Katara while Lothar scouted ahead. They had stayed at the pool for a full day, resting and recovering from their stings and had set out early that morning.

"You mean for a non-bender?" said Katara.

"I didn't say that," said Azula.

"Yeah, but your tone implied it anyway," said Katara.

"Ok, so yeah, he's pretty good for someone without any bending," she said. "He was pretty quick thinking and he stayed behind for me when he didn't have to."

"He doesn't strike me as the kind to leave anyone behind, even if he doesn't know them well," she said.

"Yeah, but why risk his life for me?" asked Azula.

Kitara looked over at Azula in surprise. Azula's normally proud face showed genuine puzzlement. Katara doubted very many people had done things for Azula in her life that were not attached to some sort of plot. Nor did she have any true friends.

"Maybe he thinks you're cute?" said Katara, smiling. Anything was possible she supposed.

Now Azula looked at her with wide eyes.

"What are you talking about?" she said quickly.

"It is possible, you know," said Katara, "that someone could like you. Now that you are not always a psychotic, crazy person."

"Not always?" said Azula in a very acidic tone.

"No, not always," she said. "In fact, sometimes even I forget you were a homicidal maniac in the past."

"Well, thanks for that," said Azula and turned away.

"Oh, Azula," said Katara, "I'm sorry for teasing you. It's just … well, sometimes you hide your feelings behind this wall of power, intimidation and fear. You come across as unfeeling and stiff. On this trip you have loosened up a bit. I mean, you did a little during my visits, but free of the prison and the weight of trying to rule the world you just seem like a real person."

Katara thought Azula might have wiped her eyes or nose, but didn't want to push her luck too far.

"My father used to say that the world can only see your strength, never your weakness," said Azula.

"Your friends see you when you are good and bad," said Katara. "And if they love you, then it doesn't matter."

"Did your mother teach you that?" asked Azula finally.

"I suppose so," said Katara. "She died when I was a little girl, but she loved me even when I was behaving badly."

"Killed by us … Fire Nation, I mean?" asked Azula. When Kitara nodded, Azula turned away. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't kill her Azula," said Kitara.

"No, but I might have given the order to do so," said Azula. "I'm not a very nice person."

"Zuko changed," said Katara. "I was unwilling to forgive him until I realized all that hate was making me be something I didn't like. Think about it, Azula. What do you want to be?" After that they walked on in silence until both of them jumped when Lothar rejoined them without warning.

"Don't you know it is not polite to sneak up on people?" accused Azula.

He only smiled back. "I wasn't sneaking up on you. You just think too loud and I walk quietly. It's hardly my fault if you didn't hear me coming."

Azula only sniffed loudly, but Lothar shared a smile with Katara. Lothar had been carving on a new staff since they had left the pool two days earlier. He knew it would not be as good as the old one, but where some Fire Forest creatures were concerned, something was better than nothing. They camped that night in a small cave that was the limit of Lothar's memory of the area.

"After this we may as well just follow the line towards those peaks," he said. "I can recognize the local fauna, but I can't guide you anymore."

"You can go back if you want," said Azula. "I'm sure we can get along from here."

"I'm not," said Lothar. "We have not encountered much so far because of the ants. The smell of the ant bites is wearing off so other creatures are going to be bound to start investigating why we are in their forest. Plus, the closer we walk to the mountains, the easier it will be for the eagle-dragons to follow us."

"They can't really attack us on the ground, can they?" asked Katara.

"Of course they can," he said. "My father told me the forest thins a bit and the trees are more like bushes. Eagle dragons can breath fire through the nostrils in their beaks. Or they can rake you with claws or just grasp you in their talons and carry you off to be eaten by their young."

"So what are we going to do then?" asked Azula.

"Travel at night," he said.

"But we have been avoiding traveling at night because of the fire leopards," she pointed out.

"Yeah, well, fire leopards are better than dragon-eagles," he said."

"Unless they manage to eat you," said Katara.

"Exactly," said Lothar. "Roasted boarcupine, anyone?" he said, holding out a chunk of cooked meat.

* * *

"What was that?" asked Azula after Lothar had decapitated a insect looking creature that was poised to sting.

"A scorpion-squirrel," he said. "One sting will leave you drooling for hours. Not that they will eat you. You're too big, but after they leave something will surely wander in that might enjoy the free meal."

"Nice," said Azula with a shudder.

"Always good times here," he said.

"How did you learn so much about the forest?" asked Katara.

"My father loved being away from people and this forest is a great place for that," said Lothar.

"Well where is he now, then," asked Azula.

"He was killed in the war," said Lothar quietly.

That put a damper on conversation for a while until Azula spoke up.

"It always seemed so distant, growing up," she said. "I mean, my life went on as normal. People around me acted like it was the natural order of things. My cousin was killed, but I didn't know him well and he never liked me. Otherwise, I didn't really see the harm done. The lives ended. I'm sorry, Lothar." Azula put a hand on his arm and he turned and gave her one of his lopsided smiles.

"He was a very good man," said Lothar, wiping at his nose. "I wish he were guiding us."

"Where is your mother and the rest of your family?" asked Katara.

"She never really like it here," aid Lothar. "When father died she moved back to Ba Sing Se with some of her rich relatives and my two younger sisters went with her. I have not seen her since Dad's funeral. We sort of argued about me going back to the city with her." Lothar stopped suddenly and held up his hand, listening, and then swore loudly when he heard a far off howl. A few seconds later it was answered by another howl from a different location.

"Let me guess?" said Azula, "trouble on the way."

"You could say that," he said. "Grimwolves. A pack. Far away and maybe not on our trail, but they're definitely behind us. It's either us or some other big game in the area. I hope you rested because the only thing that will put a grimwolf off its trail is an eagle-dragon."

"Meaning?" asked Katara.

"Meaning, we run as far as we can to the pass and hope the eagle-dragons drive off the grimwolves before we get eaten," he said.

"That's not a plan," said Azula.

"Not much of one, no," admitted Lothar who was already picking up the pace. "Just remember, you asked me to take you on this little jaunt."

They kept on at a fast march for several hours and kept an ear out for any indication of pursuit. At first there was nothing, but after about an hour of march, the howling started, from at least a dozen voices.

"Hmmm, well, that's done it," said Lothar, looking behind them. "I'm guessing if they were not following, by now they are. Let's move." They started off at a trot and took the most direct route to the pass. The ground was rising and the run was difficult. Far above they could see giant birds circling in the sky and finally, Katara asked about them.

"Yeah, they've seen us," said Lothar. "It won't be long now. Grimwolves and eagle-dragons are not really fond of each other on a good day. When they are hunting for prey they can be downright vicious. Lucky for us they are being cautious. It must be a big pack behind if they are deciding whether or not to attack."

"Is that good news or bad?" asked Azula.

"Yep," was all he said as he kept on running.

The howling kept on coming closer and closer and just like with the dragon-ants, Lothar quickly realized the girls were not going to make it. After a particularly close howl, he decided someone needed to give them a chance. He skidded to a stop and spun around, planting his staff in the ground and leaned on it a moment to catch his breath.

"What are you doing?" cried Azula, pulling on his jacket. "We need to keep moving."

"Go on," he said. "Keep heading for the pass."

"Don't be stupid," she yelled. "You are not staying here."

"Go finish your mission for the Avatar or the Fire Lord, or whyever you are here," he yelled back.

"I'm not leaving," she said.

"Neither am I," said Katara, who had also returned and was warming up with a water whip. "Do these grimwolves have any weaknesses?"

"Yeah, they won't eat dead meat," he said humorlessly. "They like their dinner warm."

"I think I may like a wolf pelt to keep _me_ warm," said Azula with a grim smile. "I have no intention of ending up in a wolf belly."

"Here they come," said Kitara.

"Then here we go," said Lothar, so quietly it was nearly lost over the howling. He sprinted toward the lead wolf. When it leaped for him he planted the new staff and caught it at the peak of its leap. It howled mournfully as it was skewered on his staff and Lothar spun the staff in a wide circle and dislodged the wolf by hurling it at another. He saw several of them burst into flames and others hurled back struck by water, but the rest kept on coming. When his staff broke he planted the stump in the neck of a wolf and drew his twin blades. It would be over quickly, now.

The shriek of the eagle-dragon caused Lothar to leap sideways and flatten himself on the ground. The beast caught a wolf instead and tore it to shreds as it circled back into the sky. Lothar searched for the girls. They were standing back to back hurling back the beasts with fire and water, but didn't see another eagle-dragon swooping with talons extended. Without thinking he stood and hurled his right hand blade end over end. Unfortunately, it hit the eagle in the beak and not its body with the blade. It was enough to make it veer away from the girls and spray a group of wolves with a blast of fire. The yowling shrieks made him cringe, but all was fair when they were trying to make a meal of him.

The next swooping eagle-dragon caught a blast of fire from Azula and shrieked at her but flew off. After that he didn't see much because a grimwolf clamped its teeth on his arm.

Lothar knew he was dead. Once wolves took you to the ground the pack all joined together to tear you apart. He rolled, over and over gripping the wolf's neck fur, keeping the snapping jaws from closing on his own neck. With a tremendous thrust, he threw the wolf off him and came to his feet, but was immediately knocked down again by another wolf. He could feel it biting at his neck, but felt very little through the high collar of his jacket. He drew his forearm knife and stabbed backward. The wolf let go and he slashed the next attacker with the knife. He searched again and found Katara and Azula still fighting back to back inside a ring of wolves, fire and water slashing and exploding everywhere.

Three wolves rushed him and he brandished the knife, but a violent wind knocked them to the side. He jerked back in surprise looking to his right where a young man was flailing about with a staff, sometimes connecting with wolves but as often as not, it was a blast of wind that sent them flying. An Airbender? There are no Airbenders. He put it to the back of his mind and ran to retrieve his swords, but the wolves were now in full retreat. He watched them lope off, howling mournfully and searched the sky for eagle-dragons. Apparently they didn't like the fireworks either and were winging back to their nests.

With the rush of adrenaline leaving his limbs, Lothar fell to his knees and drew in great gulps of breath.

"Are you all right, friend?" came a voice. "You had a couple of those wolves latched on you."

Lothar looked up to see a tall, young man staring down at him, leaning on his staff.

"I've been worse," he said. "Well, maybe."

Katara and Azula joined them and Azula quickly knelt down next to him.

"You're bleeding in like, four places," she said. "Take off your jacket."

Katara was practically hopping up and down. "You're an airbender, aren't you?" she asked the stranger.

"I suppose it's a little late to deny it now," he said. "My name is Marten."

"Aang is going to be so happy to meet you," said Katara.

"And Aang is?" said the young man.

"The Avatar; the last Airbender," said Katara. "Well, not the last airbender I guess."

"Sorry, but we don't get much news here," said Marten. "None at all actually."

"So are there more of you?" asked Katara. "We came all this way looking for you. Airbenders that is."

"Wait, you came here on purpose?" said Marten. "You knew we were here?"

"Well, we didn't know," said Azula while she bandaged up Lothar's arm. "But there were rumors of Airbenders up in the mountains."

"We came to warn you," said Katara.

"Warn us? Why?" asked Marten.

"It's a long story," said Katara.

"Well, I'm just dying to hear it," said Lothar.

Azula slapped him on the head. "That is not funny. Katara do you think you can do your water-healing thing on this neck wound?"

Conversation stopped for a few minutes while Katara used water to stop his injuries from bleeding and close up the cuts.

"That is amazing," said Marten. "Water bending is really useful."

"Airbending was pretty useful to me a few minutes ago," said Lothar. "Thanks for helping. The girls might have survived, but I was a goner."

"The girls?" said Azula and Katara in unison.

"Just an expression," he mumbled under his breath.

"So why don't you tell me how you found us and why we need to be warned," said Marten.

"Azula—you're the one with the spies everywhere," said Katara. "Why don't you tell him?"

"Informants," she said. "In any case, he probably needs a bit of background if they've been off living in the wild for a hundred years. So, listen up. The war you fled from went on for about a hundred years and then Katara here found the Avatar frozen in a block of ice. So they set off to save the world and learned how to bend all the elements along the way and then defeated my father the Fire Lord. My brother became the new Fire Lord and … brought peace to the land. Unfortunately, there are those in the Fire Nation that liked their power and they are trying to unseat dear Zuzu. My brother that is."

She took a deep breath and looked over. "Keeping up … good. I still had a lot of folks who wanted me to be Fire Lord, or at least their figurehead, so I had a lot of informants in prison. Oh, yeah, I was bad before. As in, tried to kill the Avatar bad. Anyway, I convinced Katara here that I was better … " Katara gave her a very sharp look at the word "convinced" but Azula rushed on. " … and she helped me escape if I would help her look for the lost Airbenders I had told her about previously. So off we went. And here we are."

Marten just stared at them for several minutes before speaking.

"My dad is really not going to be happy if I show up with you three," he said.


	6. Chapter 6

**New allies**

To say their reception was a frosty one was an understatement. Lothar, Azula and Katara were virtually under arrest and were being watched at all times. They had gone before the settlement's leadership and pled their case, both requesting help from those able and warning others of the danger, but no one wanted to listen. No one had come to see to them except for a few quick visits from Marten, who had always had his father with him and never really been allowed to say anything of import. They had been in the airbender town for a week and had not really accomplished anything. Their small room had a breathtaking view of the mountains, but it was beginning to feel stifling.

"This appears to have been a colossal waste of time," said Azula.

"Not if they at least take precautions against the army coming," said Katara.

"Yeah, but their attitude says they aren't exactly going to welcome the Avatar with open arms," he said. "The old folks seem to hold him personally responsible."

"Which is kind of silly when you think about it," added Lothar. "I mean, he was a 12-year-old kid when the war started and had not even begun his Avatar training. Even if he had not been lost, he could not have stopped Sozin. He wasn't ready."

"You better keep that thought to yourself," said Azula. "These people have been blaming the Avatar for their problems for a long time; they won't like it if you burst their bubble."

"You can sense there is a split between the older and younger generation," said Katara.

"I would imagine the younger crowd is feeling cooped up here in this valley," said Lothar.

"But at least they have sky bison here," said Katara. "Appa won't be the only one anymore."

Azula rolled her eyes at the mention of the Avatar's flying bison.

"There are not very many of them here," said Lothar. "How many were you expecting?"

"We never really had any idea," said Katara. "Even a few Airbenders meant that Aang would still have others of his kind. I have to admit, I did not expect them to be so hostile."

Azula's laugh was not kind.

A scratching at the window revealed Marten hanging upside down. They quickly opened it and he crawled in and another person scrambled in after him. He put a finger to his lips.

"This is Mera. I'm her boyfriend." Mera smiled and took his arm possessively. "We came with some important news. Others have come after you and there is an army on the way—assuming they survive the Fire Forest."

Everyone had questions, but Mera held up a hand.

"The group that came in today said they were looking for you," she said. "There were five of them. The leaders hustled them off but I got a look at them. A tall young man dressed like you who I would bet was your brother … " Katara started in confusion, " … a pretty brown-haired girl with a katana and the walk of somebody who knows how to use it; a tall Earth Kingdom boy with a scar across his face; a cute girl dressed like the first except with a braid, who almost looks like she dances when she walks and last was another girl dressed like Earth Nation—that one was not wearing shoes and looked like she was ready to thump some heads."

"How on earth did they follow us here?" said Azula in astonishment. "We didn't leave any clues behind."

"Sokka's not stupid, Azula, and fairly good at putting the puzzle together if he can find the first piece," said Katara. "That means he's got Suki and Toph with him as well. And Ty Lee. The boy we don't know. What are they going to do with them?"

"The elders will probably blame them for bringing the army," said Marten. "We didn't come for that. If there is an army coming, some of us plan to fight."

"How big of an army," asked Azula, "and how many of you are there?"

"Scouts think there may be two or three hundred soldiers and as many as fifty fire-benders," said Mera. "We talked to as many people as possible. We have about thirty Airbenders who want to join the struggle. And maybe fifty guards."

"Those are rather long odds," pointed out Lothar. "You can bet the army will be made up of fighters who were in the war. They are going to be experienced while your folks are green."

"We are still going to fight," said Mera. "Our grandparents may have run away from the world, but we won't do the same."

"You won't be alone," said Katara.

"And these are your rebel fire benders?" said Lothar. Katara nodded. "Count me in."

"What?" said Azula in surprise. "This isn't your fight. Why would you join us."

Lothar's smile was vicious and so unlike his normal demeanor that Katara and Azula both looked at him in surprise. "Now you say your brother has made peace with the world and I'm good with that. But these guys are not his friends."

Azula and Katara simply stared until Mera broke in.

"We are gathering everyone who intends to join us for the fight and meeting the elders," she said. "Will your friends join us?"

"I'm sure they will," said Katara. "Are you coming Azula? Your part in the deal is done."

Katara was surprised to see Azula glance at Lothar, then at the ground and then back to Katara. "Yeah, I'm with you. Maybe this will even help out brother dear."

Mera led them out with Marten and the rest in tow. As they approached the main meeting dome the guards on the door looked askance at them.

"Why are you here, Marten, and why are these prisoners with you?" said the guard.

"Ah, so you finally admit that we are prisoners," said Azula before Lothar poked her in the ribs and shushed her.

"We've come to tell the council that we don't agree with their decisions," said Marten.

The guard's expression was surprised. He stared at them for a moment and then stepped aside.

The domed chamber was full. Katara saw Sokka standing in the middle of the floor as if being judged, flanked by Suki, Ty Lee, Toph and a young man they did not recognize. The crowd parted for them slowly until the elder speaker across from Sokka looked up, a surprised expression on his face.

"Marten, what are you doing here—and with the pr … the … our guests," he said. The man was shaven-headed and had the blue airbender tattoos that were so familiar on Aang.

"Father, we have come to speak our mind," said Marten.

"Marten, you know this is a meeting of the elders; you have no voice here," said the man.

"No, Father, we will have a voice here; we refuse to be silent any longer while you keep us prisoner here," said Marten. "The reason for us coming here is done. The Fire Lord is a peaceful man that seeks to live equitably with his neighbors. Our isolation must end."

The elder man was practically spluttering by the end of Marten's speech; his eyes growing wider and wider at "refuse," "prisoner," "Fire Lord," and "isolation must end."

"Son, you do not speak for our people," he said in a very tight voice. "You must leave while we deal with these invaders." Lothar thought he meant the Fire Nation rebels until he gestured to Katara's brother and his friends.

"Invaders?" spit out Toph. "We came here to look for our friends." Suki's hand on her shoulder quieted the next outburst, but her face was red and she cracked her knuckles loudly in the silence that followed. Sokka was trading glances with Katara, looking back and forth between her and Azula.

"Father, I don't pretend to speak for all, but some of us will go our own way if we must," said Marten.

"Your own way?" said the elder as if he did not understand. "You mean leave us? That will not be allowed."

"You will have to fight us if you wish to keep us here, Father," said Marten. The look on his face was strained, but this was clearly a conflict that had been brewing for some time. "That is only part of the reason we are here. These strangers have offered to help us stop the army that is coming. If all our people work together we can drive them out of our lands."

"Lands you intend to abandon," said the father.

"The home where I grew up," said Marten. "Just because I don't intend to be trapped here doesn't mean I don't love it still. Father, we need a plan to drive them back. We don't have much time."

"We are not going to fight," said the elder. "Plans are already being made to flee."

"Of course they are," said Marten shaking his head. "And everyone agrees this is for the best."

"The Elders will decide as they always have," said the father.

"Not this time, Father," said Marten. "Those who wish to stay can fight with us," said Marten.

By now the background noise in the dome was very nearly overpowering the voices of the speakers. Some were shouting support for one side and some for the other. It was pandemonium. Eventually the two groups sorted themselves out and there were tears in Marten's eyes when he led his group out of the dome.

Lothar was introduced to Sokka, Suki, Toph, Ty Lee and Dong Fei as they marched to a large clearing on one of the lower levels. Reunions would have to wait apparently. There was a battle to plan.


	7. Chapter 7

**Departure**

Mai knew that Zuko appreciated her presence in the audience chamber, but sometimes meeting all the foreigners could be tedious. They never said anything of substance and took twice as long to say hello as they really needed. She was going to be Fire Lady someday soon and would have to put up with more and more of these visits. Fortunately, Zuko was more than happy to have her speak up, voice her opinion, or hurry things along as she saw fit. She idly fidgeted with the throwing dart in her pocket while the ambassador from the Eastern Earth Kingdom went on about how they pledged him their support without actually sending anyone or anything to help. Zuko would not appreciate knowing it, but she didn't go anywhere now unless she was armed to the teeth with as many weapons as she could secret about her person. No one was going to touch Zuko without going through her first.

Finally, the ambassador excused himself and someone brought drinks.

"I nearly gouged out my own eyes during that speech, Zuko," she drawled.

Zuko's barking laughter was a fit reward for her joke. He didn't laugh much these days. Of course Iroh laughed even louder.

"Mai, I'm glad you are here to say the things I am thinking," said Zuko.

"Nephew, you are very fortunate she is here, indeed," said Iroh. They all gulped down punch while they were informed the next group was from the Southern Water Tribe. This was a surprise. Mai did not know that the Southern Water Tribe had an embassy. Unfortunately, the Fire Nation had decimated their numbers during a hundred years of war.

The group was especially large and something immediately made Mai sit up and take notice. Their clothes were Water Tribe but they looked more Fire Nation. Which meant they were imposters. When the first sword appeared and a scuffle broke out at the doors, Mai was already on her feet hurling a dart. As soon as it left her hand, she knew it was life or death this time. She had never thrown to kill before, but with only a handful of guards on the throne they would be lucky to survive this assassination attempt. Her dart took the lead man in the eye and he sprawled on his face. A second later a fireball consumed the next man in line and then the place went up in flames.

* * *

Hakoda was not given to use influence to receive special treatment so he was doing his best to wait patiently for his turn to see Zuko. Master Pakku had made the trip with him and they had chatted for a time about the changes the young Fire Lord had made in the past two years and also the dangers of the currently situation. The group in front of them was fairly large and most were waiting across the room from them. Something about them was very curious, but Hakoda was not really giving it much thought until they were called as a Water Tribe delegation. The alarms went off then. They were not any more Water Tribe than he was an elephant-panda.

"Pakku, heads up," he said and was instantly regretting leaving his sword with the rest of the men. There was a scuffle by the door and then the rest of the fake embassy rushed into the audience chamber and then slammed the doors behind them. A dozen or so men stood by the door with weapons drawn.

"Assassination attempt," said Pakku as they heard bangs and cries from the audience chamber.

Hokoda doubted they would be able to open the door from this side so someone had to get in, somehow and do it from the other. "Take care of the men on this side," he said quickly. "I'm going to get those doors open." He vaguely remembered windows in the audience chamber and rushed to the open window on the waiting room side. Master Pakku was already engaging the men by the door with the familiar water-slapping sounds of his bending. Without much water he would be limited, though.

Hakoda looked along the wall and saw the windows he remembered, but he had no way to reach them. Then he noticed a decorative gargoyle almost directly above the windows on the room. He looked straight up then and thought he might be able to climb to the roof. Spinning around, he searched for something that might work to let him down and absentmindedly brushed the long curtains by the window. The very long curtains.

With a hard jerk, he ripped them down and detached them from the wall hangers. The curtains went over one shoulder and he stepped up onto the window sill and then began to slowly climb the rocky face. Actually climbing onto the roof turned out to be the biggest challenge though. There was an overhang and little to grip until his fingers found a large slate nail protruding. It was a bad idea to trust his life to the strength of a little nail, but Zuko was in there and his children would never forgive him for not doing something. Using two fingers he pulled himself up until he found another rough roof tile to help his other hand find a grip. Then a leg up and finally he was lying flat on the roof with bleeding fingers. He crawled cautiously to the gargoyle he had seen earlier and began tying a knot with the curtain. He checked the distance again and prayed it was enough.

With a deep breath, Hadoda leaped out and braced for the jerk when the curtain went taut. He had a split second to be pleased that the knot, the curtain and the gargoyle held and then he kicked his feet out to meet the window in a spectacular crash of colored glass. He landed fairly well and noted that Zuko was on the stand with his uncle and a fierce-looking girl that looked familiar. Besides them were only a few guards holding against maybe twenty men. He turned to the doors to see that they had only left a couple of men there and they were staring at him with wide eyes. With no time to waste, he ran forward and dove at the feet of the first as his sword stroke passed over Hakoda's head. He rolled and slammed into the man's knees hard enough to send him flying into the door with a loud clang.

Hakoda jerked the sword from his grip and met the other guard's stroke from his knees. The fight was quick and Hakoda took several cuts while trying to end it quickly. Hakoda always regretted a death, but the man had chosen to be here in this time and place when he could have been elsewhere. With a glance behind to see if anyone had noticed, Hakoda lifted the heavy bars off the door and put his shoulders and back against it. With a heave they started to open and Hakoda was happy to see Master Pakku waiting with a dozen soldiers. Now the odds were much better.

* * *

Zuko fought desperately, knowing these men wanted to kill him and doubting they would spare Mai. His Uncle had left the stage and leaped down among the rebel soldiers with a howl and many of them were down. Unfortunately, four of Zuko's five guards were down and there were still as many as two dozen men left. With the doors held shut, help would not come in time.

The crash of the stained glass window caught his attention over the din of battle and he was surprised to see a man roll to his feet and run to the door. The loss of attention cost him as someone slammed into him with a cry. He rolled and came to his knees to see it was Mai, who had a spear in her side.

"Mai!"

Something in Zuko broke then and the next man who charged him was blasted off his feet in a flash of white-hot fire that turned him into a torch. Zuko stood up and his previous restraint fell away. Men died screaming as he lashed out with long whips of fire in each hand. Men were actually backing away from him, but couldn't move for having been hemmed in by others who had come through the door. In moments they were all down and a familiar man dressed in Water Tribe style was calling his name.

"Hakoda?" he said in surprise. After the previous clamor the room was very quiet now except for the moans of the dying. Men he had killed. Hakoda reached out a hand to steady him and Zuko looked at him more closely. Katara's father looked like he had been in a fight with a dozen razors. "You in came through the window," he said. Hakoda's smile was ironic.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," he said.

Zuko came back to himself and ran to Mai, who was being tended. She smiled up at him weakly.

"Keeping you alive is a dangerous job," she said.

"Mai … " he could not think of anything to say and a tear splashed on her face.

"I'm not going to die, stupid," she said. "You are not ready to be Fire Lord on your own."

"Fire Lord Zuko," said an older voice. "I've sent for our Water Healers. Her wound did not hit anything vital, but … Iroh is asking for you." Zuko looked at him then and realized it was the Water Bending master he had met two years earlier outside of Ba Sing Se. "Master Pakku?"

The man nodded. "Come."

Iroh was lying on his back with a bandage around his chest and blood on his lips.

"He has a punctured lung, Zuko," said Pakku. "His time is short."

"Uncle!" he cried, dropped down at his uncle's side.

Iroh's eyes fluttered open at his voice.

"Nephew," he said. "We have come far together, have we not? And you will go … further yet. A great Fire Lord you will be … to erase the sins of our fathers." Iroh closed his eyes again and Zuko could not speak, could not form words to say anything. Now his tears were running down his nose and creating a dark spot on his uncle's robe. Iroh held up a hand and Zuko clasped it tightly, but the grip was weak. "I'm sorry I won't be able to be there for your wedding … Sorry I won't be able to bounce … your children … on my knee." He coughed then and flecks of blood covered his chin.

"Uncle, you should have stayed with your tea shop," said Zuko. "This should not have been your fight."

Iroh opened his eyes again and smiled. "Nephew, I promised myself I would always be there … for you. Be the great man you have started to become." Iroh closed his eyes with a smile. "I never thought, I would be so happy … when I died … my son." The grip in his hand went slack and Zuko buried his face in Iroh's chest with a wail. His shoulders were shaking with sobs. The world was coming to an end and he felt empty inside.

* * *

"How are they doing?" asked Hakoda as Pakku left the healing room where Mai was recovering.

"The healers have done very well," said Pakku. "Though I would prefer to have Katara here," he said with a smile. "Like all other things water bending, she is the best healer we have seen in a generation."

"I wish I knew where she was," said Hakoda, worry lining his face. "Events are coming together quickly."

"Yes, they are," said Pakku. "Zuko did not need his uncle's death to add to the burden he is feeling right now."

"Iroh was a grand master to those of our order," said Pakku. "His wisdom will be sorely missed."

They stood in silence for some time.

"I fear the way events are moving," said Hakoda. "The Fire Nation is being torn apart. Brother fighting brother. And Aang is missing. I don't believe in coincidence."

"Neither do I," said Pakku. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"The fire rebels have Aang?" said Hakoda.

"The rebels have a base north of here. Who knows if he is there, but perhaps it is a place to start."

"Let's commandeer a balloon," suggested Hakoda. "I fear the palace is riddled with spies. Let's not announce what we are up to."

Pakku nodded. "Tonight?"

"I don't think it can be soon enough," said Hakoda. "But I don't like the idea of leaving Zuko alone right now. He needs a steady hand."

"Soon, then," said Pakku and Hakoda nodded.

* * *

Thirst. That's all Aang could think of anymore was water.

He suspected they were trying to keep him alive to some degree, but not allow him enough water to bend. Every time they came to give him a drink he decided he would use the water to slash through his bonds and his wooden prison, but then his thirst won out and he drank it instead. Never very much. Just enough to keep him alive.

His friend's face came to his mind in his delirium. Beautiful Katara. Sokka cracking jokes. Toph calling him "twinkle toes." Zuko's intense expression. Momo's squeaks and Appa's comforting warmth. They seemed very far away. Aang felt like he was in the bottom of a pit that kept getting deeper and the spot of light above, smaller and smaller.

Find me, my friends. Find me.


	8. Chapter 8

**Battle's aftermath**

Azula sat at Lothar's bedside while Katara worked her water healing and silently wondered how much this journey was changing her. Despite the face she put forward for Katara, Azula felt like the same ambitious, driven girl that had been a few moments away from becoming Fire Lady Azula. At the time she thought it was her natural right as royal family and the best of the best.

The duel with Zuko had changed her more than she had realized. She had always been a prodigy and had always taken it for granted that she was a better bender than her older brother. In the end it had not proven to be the case. He had grown in many ways and the Zuko that had come back to challenge her was not the old Zuko she could manipulate.

Now she wondered what was left to her. Only through the rebels would she ever regain power, but doing so would destroy Zuko. Did she care? Was there the smallest bit of familial affection left to her?

Even stranger was the confusion that Lothar caused her to feel. She had never had much luck with boys; they were strangely intimidated by her. Except for Lothar. He seemed amused by her. Maybe even thought she was attractive. That she should care whether a boy thought she was attractive meant there was definitely something wrong with her. And now she owed him a debt. Maybe her life.

She had asked Katara why he was involving himself in the battle and had been more than a little surprised by her response.

"Well, first off, I suspect there's something going on with him and the Fire Nation," she said. "He really wants to fight them and there seems to be a bit of revenge mixed up in it. But I don't think that is the main reason."

"Why then?" asked Azula.

"Well, you, of course," said Katara.

"Me what?" said Azula.

Katara laughed despite the gravity of the situation. "He likes you, Azula, and that's saying something. I suspect he intends to keep an eye on you to make sure nothing happens."

"I don't need anyone to watch over me," she said quickly, but struggled with the feeling of … well … content she felt at the idea.

"Of course you don't," said Katara, "but that is just the way guys think. They are protective of the ones they love."

She scoffed at the idea. "He's never said anything like that."

"Men don't like rejection," said Katara. "And you are not exactly transparent with your feelings. He probably thinks it is one-sided." Katara stopped then and looked at Azula. "It's not though, even I can see that." Azula stood there in silence working through how she felt about Katara's words. The dark-haired water bender reached out a hand and took Azula's. With a little squeeze, she said, "You should tell him."

Azula had been in many battles and never particularly remembered being afraid, but the thought of telling Lothar that she liked him was a terrifying thought. What if Katara was wrong? No, Katara saw deeply; she was not wrong and so Azula found herself on the edge of battle, waiting quietly, trying to figure out what to say. She had been pleased when the plans were drawn up and Lothar had volunteered to stay with Azula's group. Being the strongest fire bender, she had volunteered to take on the job of drawing in the main army while other forces flanked them for a surprise attack.

Scouts had told them the army was less than thirty minutes of marching away. If she was going to say something it had to be then, before the battle started. And so she had tried.

"Lothar, why are you here?" she had said. He had smiled and winked.

"If you have not figured that out, then explaining won't help," he said.

"This isn't really your fight," she went on, but he interrupted her.

"It it yours?" he asked. "We are fighting your people, though they are rebels against your brother. The thing is, I don't get the impression that you are particularly fond of your brother."

That silenced her for a moment, but she was determined to go on.

"Maybe I am trying to help brother, or … " she really didn't know why she was doing this.

"My father was killed in the war," he said quietly. "By fire benders." Azula looked at him in surprise. "He was a scout for the Earth Kingdom armies. I really don't know how he died."

Azula surprised herself by reaching out and taking his hand. "I'm sorry."

"You were not a very nice person during this war, were you?" he asked.

In the face of such a question, she was ashamed that she wanted to lie. But she would not.

"No, I was not," she said. "In a war council I once suggested we burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground if they would not submit to us. I was arrogant and ruthless and manipulative. And mistrustful at the end. Maybe even a little insane." There, she thought. Put it out there and see what he says.

"What happened to that girl?" he asked.

Azula started and looked in his eyes.

"You don't think she is still sitting here?" she asked.

"Oh, there's still some arrogance," he said, but smiled to take away the sting. "But the rest … let me tell you what I see. A beautiful, capable, confident girl trying to find her way. I don't think you want the old Azula back any more than anyone else does."

"Well, thank you," she said. "But that still doesn't explain why you are here."

He sighed. And then took a very deep breath. "I guess I just need to draw you a picture." He took a stick and wrote his name in the dirt, followed by Azula's name. Then drew a circle around them both. Then he leaned toward her and kissed her.

She was so surprised that it went badly and he began to draw away, but she snaked an arm around his neck and pulled him back. This one was much better.

He sat back and smirked. "Now I just need to keep you alive so we can do more of that."

"Or maybe I'll protect you," she said. "I am a very good bender you know."

"I've no doubt," he said.

"This still is not your fight," she said.

"Zuli babe, I would not miss this for anything," he said.

When the fight had started, Azula had let loose with a ferocity driven by a need to protect him and brought fire and lightning down on the unsuspecting rebel forces. Lothar had jumped into the fight like a crazy devil-rat, taking down fire benders and regular soldiers alike.

Despite their inferior numbers, the attackers were crushed, in large part literally when the annoying earth bender Toph had pulled down half a mountain on them. Caught between a rockalanche, lighting and airbender tornados, the battle was short and fierce. More than two hundred men had thrown down their weapons and surrendered, but more than three hundred had died.

Many of the fire benders had refused to surrender though, and were forced ahead by the flank attacks. Many died on Azula's lightning, but their numbers had been greater and Lothar had knocked her to the ground to avoid one bending attack. He had taken the blunt of the fire and even his fire resistant clothes had not been able to protect him.

Here in the room, he was lying on his stomach with a mass of burns that started on his lower back and ran up to his shoulder neck and head. His ear was mostly gone and much of the hair on his left side had been scorched away. He had not regained consciousness in the day since the battle.

Katara sat back with a sign and rubbed at her lower back. Azula realized that she looked exhausted. She had figured prominently in the battle, having positioned herself near a mountain stream, but she had also been healing constantly since the end of the fight.

"He'll be fine," said Katara, meeting her eyes. "With a few more treatments, most of the scarring should go away."

"Thank you, Katara," said Azula. She was surprised that it did not even bother her to show weakness in front of the water bender.

"You are welcome," she said and left them alone.

An hour later, he awakened for the first time with a loud groan and rolled over.

"Azula," was his first word. "I'm happy to see that you survived."

"Thanks to you," she said.

"Well, I did tell you I was there to keep an eye on you," he said.

"And now I owe you one," she said.

He smirked at her. "Owe? What is this talk of owe? If you feel the need to owe me something, then owe me a kiss. Which I'll take now."

She leaned over and realized her eyes were watery. What was wrong with her? She was becoming weepy. Was this what happens when you fall in love?

She kissed him and decided she didn't really care.

"Well now I've seen everything," came Sokka's voice from the door. He came in followed by Suki, Ty Lee, Katara, and Toph.

Lothar was not happy to be interrupted. "I know they probably don't have doors on your igloo, but in the Earth Kingdom we consider it polite to knock.

Toph barked out laughter as Suki poked Sokka in the ribs. For his part, Sokka did look somewhat chastened.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"I suppose you are all here for a reason," said Lothar.

"Yeah, we need to talk with Azula," said Sokka.

Azula looked up to see the others watching her.

"About?" she said.

"Aang," said Katara.

"Well, if you think I've got him in my pocket, you're mistaken," she said.

"No, but if you are in league with the rebels then you may know if they have tried to take him," said Sokka.

Azula tried very hard to control her face. There had been a plan to capture the Avatar, but she was surprised that they had somehow worked it out.

"And you think she's helping the rebels," spit out Lothar. "Funny way she has of going about it, you know, destroying their army."

"Why don't we let her answer the question?" said Suki, looking very intently at Azula.

"I don't know if they tried, but … some of the airbender rumors I gave you were to get the Avatar off by himself," said Azula.

The others were now staring daggers at her, but she remained silent.

Katara was the first to speak. "And this little expedition to the north," she said. "What purpose was that supposed to serve?" Her voice was cold now. She was very protective of her dear Avatar.

"To get me out of prison," she said truthfully.

"And that's it?" said Sokka.

"Pretty much," she said. "Zuzu was not going to trust me. Who knows how long I was going to be stuck there."

Everyone was quiet until Katara broke the silence.

"So what's it going to be Azula? It's time to pick a side."

"You mean yesterday wasn't picking a side?" said Azula.

"I don't know, you tell me?" said Katara.

Azula realized she had picked a side, but it wasn't necessary the one they were talking about. She had picked Lothar. Where did that leave her? Lothar was the loyal, idealistic type. If this crew mentioned some crazy scheme to go and free the Avatar then he would want in.

"I don't know where the Avatar is," she said, "but their base is a fairly well-known location in the northern Fire Kingdom. I've never been there, but I'm pretty sure I could find it." She supposed the Airbenders might join in and take them on sky bison. "It's a very large base. I'm not sure how we would find him."

"Oh, we'll find him," said Katara


	9. Chapter 9

**Finding the Avatar**

"Does anyone have any good news to share?" asked Zuko.

His council gave him pained smiles.

"I'm sorry my Lord," said one of them. "Things are not looking their brightest at the moment."

Zuko had just found out that traitors among those manning the Great Gates of Azulon had lowered the barrier and let the rebel forces past without battle. That meant the conflict he was trying to avoid was now on his doorstep.

He missed having Hakoda around. In the days after his uncle's death, the Water Tribe chief had been a great comfort to him. That was a hole in his heart that would not be filled quickly, but Hakoda had talked to Zuko of the days after learning of his wife's death and the pain it inflicted. Zuko in turn had told him of his trip with Katara to find the Southern Raiders and eventually the man who had killed her mother. Hakoda had held Zuko while he cried in the same way his uncle might have done. Sometimes Zuko wondered what his childhood might have been like with a man like Hakoda for his father. Unfortunately, the Water Tribe chieftain had vanished at the same time as Master Pakku and none of their people knew where they had gone.

"So do we defend the beaches or pull back and try and hold them coming up the canyon?" he asked finally.

"I don't think we have the men to hold the beaches, Fire Lord," said one of his generals. "We'd best pull them in and see if we can crush them between the arms of the mountain. You don't happen to know where your blind earth bending friends is? We could sure use her right now."

"I wish I knew," he said to himself. "We could use all the friends we can get." Finally he asked, "What are our chances? Realistically."

His senior general spoke first. "If we can pull a few surprises I put out chances at even. Unless you have the Avatar hiding in a closet."

Zuko grimaced. Appa had flow in a week ago without Aang and he knew his friend was in trouble but not what to do about it. Sokka and the rest had not returned either and with his uncle gone and Mai injured, he felt very much alone. At least Mai was on the mend. The water bending healers had worked wonders and she was already up and hobbling about. Zuko suspected she would try and protect him in the coming battle if she could manage it. He doubted she would like what he planned. Zuko knew his ability as a bender and he did not intend to spend this battle on the sidelines. His people's very survival was at stake and he was Fire Lord.

His bending had changed during the fight in the throne room. He had tapped into something he had never seen before. Firebenders created red fire and the good ones like Azula could create lightning and blue fire, but the white flame he had used was new. At first he had thought it was born of desperation and fear for Mai, but lately he had felt it dancing like flames just under the surface of his thoughts. He knew he could call it up if needed. He intended to be standing on the beach when the rebels came. Uncle had charged him to go on and no one was going to destroy his people while he had a say in it.

* * *

The would-be rescue party was camped on a beach on the far western coast of the Earth Kingdom, resting after a full day of flying. Marten had readily agreed to help their rescues attempt and Mera had come as well, since she refused to be left behind and they had needed to bison for all of them anyway.

They were now sitting around the fire discussing how best to approach the attempt. There were nine of them in all, hardly much of an army. Besides the two Airbenders, they had Katara, Suki, Sokka, Ty Lee, Toph, Azula and Lothar, who had insisted on coming and managed to be there when they were loading the bison, despite everyone claiming they had not told him about it.

Ty Lee was doing her best to make everyone comfortable with everyone else even with some of the sour looks being thrown around. Ty Lee had not been to see Azula very often in prison, but toward the end some of the ice of their final conflict had begun to thaw. She supposed their friendship had changed too much to be the same. As a Kyoshi warrior, Ty Lee had found purpose and self respect that she had lacked when Azula ran the show. Azula was very different as well.

Of all of them Toph was acting the most odd, but it was Sokka's characteristic lack of tack that exposed why.

"So Toph, I was surprised that Dong Fei decided not to come along," he said, happily chewing on a piece of dried meat. Suki was making shushing motions of which he was blissfully unaware.

"He didn't want to … I don't know … help the Fire Nation," she said. "He said he was not sorry to see they had internal troubles after all the hurt they caused the rest of the world."

"Really?" I kind of meant that it looked like you two were … you know, friendly." Suki threw a grape that hit him in the head and he looked up in surprise to see everyone glaring at him.

The silence lengthened until Toph, always quick to pick up on non-verbal cues, put down her plate. "Would you like to know why he stayed behind, Sokka?" she aked.

"Uhhh … "

"Well, that's intelligent, Sokka," said Katara. "Stop bugging Toph."

"It's all right Katara," said Toph. "Sokka can't help being Sokka. Dong Fei left because he didn't like it that I was a better Earth Bender."

"What?" said Ty Lee quickly. "That's stupid."

All the others looked at her.

"But I thought he was getting better and liked having you teach him," said Sokka. "And you didn't care that he had that big scar on his face."

"He did like my teaching, but I think he started realizing that even with practice, he was never going to be able to do things what I could do," said Toph. "He didn't mind me teaching him, because he assumed he would eventually be able to do everything well, too."

"But, he couldn't, could he?" asked Katara.

"Oh, he wasn't bad," said Toph, "but he didn't listen to the earth very well. It requires you to close your eyes and be vulnerable until you figure it out. He couldn't do it."

"Well, nobody is as good at Earth bending as you are," said Sokka.

"I know that," said Toph, but she didn't sound happy about it, she sounded miserable.

"Well then he's an idiot," said Lothar. Ty Lee started. He had been very silent up until then.

When Lothar looked up and everyone was looking at him, he continued. "Toph, I don't know you very well, but you have a wicked sense of humor, and you can shake the earth with your bending. It's incredible. Plus, if you cut those bangs of yours, you are very pretty. Some guys just can't measure up to that, but that doesn't mean you should stop being awesome."

"Well, Lothar, I don't know you very well either," said Toph, "but I already like you." And then she thumped him on the arm hard enough to spill his food.

Lothar's bark of laughter was loud enough to echo, even over the sound of the breeze. "And I suppose," he said, "that little love tap was a sign of your affection."

"Yep," she said. All he did was laugh again and rub his arm.

After they finished eating they started to go over their strategy for finding Aang. Azula drew a crude map in the dirt and showed the layout of the base.

"There are a lot of places they could put him," said Azula. "If he is there. With nine people we should probably split up into groups to search."

"At least one of our air benders need to stay somewhere safe," said Sokka. "If one of the groups finds Aang they need to be able to escape, even if the others don't make it. Unless you think one of your bison will leave without you?"

"Panu might?" said Marten. "I doubt Flinia would." Flinia was Mera's bison and was younger and more skittish than the older Panu.

"So the time to find out is not with a rebel army on our tails," said Sokka.

Marten approached Panu with the others in tow.

"Well, big guy, how about it?" said Marten. "Will you fly with these others if I'm not here?"

Panu regarded him with his large eyes and then sniffed each of them in turn. He grunted, then licked Sokka's front from knee to head. The others laughed while Sokka wiped the saliva off his face.

"I'm touched," said Sokka. "A little wet, but touched. I can't wait until you meet Appa."

"Let's hope that is not necessary," said Suki. "We're going to have a very little moon tonight, which works in our favor. I recommend we try to sleep this afternoon and go in after dark."

* * *

Ty Lee was looking down over a portion of the camp and was surprised how large it was. She was teamed up with Azula and Lothar and there was a familiarity about working together that was comforting. She was not the same person that had been scared away from the circus by Azula's firebending and her time with the Kyoshi had made her more assertive.

"This place looks sort of deserted doesn't it?" asked Lothar quietly.

"Unfortunately for brother-dear's sake, yes," said Azula.

"Meaning all the ships and troops are attacking your home?" asked Lothar.

Azula nodded impatiently.

"I suggest we try the long low building near the dock," said Ty Lee. "It looks like the only place with any guards and much activity."

"I think you are right, Ty Lee," said Azula. "Let's go." Ty Lee smiled. Azula would always be Azula and assume she was in charge. Ty Lee crept after Azula and Lothar and drew her short staff. The Kyoshi used fans and katana's, but Ty Lee just did not have it in her to slice people up with sharp blades. They moved down into the camp like shadows and disappeared into the dark.

* * *

Marten decided that he was glad he had not tried to infiltrate the camp with the others. He realized he was not very good at sneaking and hiding when Sokka, Suki and Toph had disappeared into the dark with so little sound he lost their position in moments. They had gone in wearing a healthy coating of camouflaging dirt that Suki had applied to their skin like an artist. She had given him a new face just for good measure.

He did not like being separated from Mera, either. He knew she was more than a competent airbender, but he could not get over trying to be protective of her. She hated it, but he could not change it. She had entered the base with Katara and even though she was a good hunter, he had protested. She had given him a long-suffering look and he had shut his mouth.

Marten was positioned high above the camp so that any of the groups found the Avatar they could bring him out to escape, he could fly in on the Panu to rescue them if they gave the signal. He admired the self-assurance the others possessed and was amazed at some of the funny, scary and even unbelievable stories the others would relate now and then.

Now, he had to wait and waiting was not something he liked much.

* * *

Katara was amazed at how quiet the airbender Mera could creep and slink through the darkness. Several times he was sure they made small noises that could be noticed, but no one had come to check. Dividing the camp into thirds was imprecise at best and they had been searching for several hours without luck. After one particularly close encounter, the airbender had admitted that she was actually bending the air so that the sound from their movement was extremely muffled. Katara was not even sure Aang knew how to do that.

Unfortunately, as the time slipped away, Katara's sense of hopelessness increased. Aang might not even be here at all. It was her musing on where Aang might be that led to their capture.

When she stumbled, Katara reached out a hand to steady herself and pushed over a pile of metal scraps that went down with a huge clatter. Mera hissed loudly but the damage was done. The shouting of soldiers was coming their direction and they could not find their way in the dark quietly enough to escape.

"There they are!" yelled a man when they finally caught the two benders in the light of their lanterns. Mera spun and send a blast of air at them; it was enough to take the front row off their feet and extinguish several of the lights. They continued to run in the dark until at last they were cut off on both sides in an alley between two large barracks.

"Go Mera," she said quietly as the men approached on both sides. "You can still escape."

Mera only laughed and danced toward the men with her staff whirling. Katara silently wished she was closer to the ocean. With more water to use, she would not be worried about this many men, but all she had was the bending water from her pouch. She slashed out to defend herself when they came at her, but there were way too many to hold for long. Katara hoped the others managed to find Aang.

* * *

Toph was crouching with her hand to the ground as Suki and Sokka looked on.

"Someone is fighting, for sure," she said.

"Then we need to go help," said Sokka.

"But we haven't found Aang," said Suki.

"And he might not even be here," said Sokka. "I've not leaving Katara on the hope that Aang _might_ be here somewhere."

"Then let's go kick some butt," said Toph. She stood and turned in the direction of the sound of the fight and ran. She led them unerringly through the mess of buildings, barracks and storehouses until they turned a corner between two large buildings. "It's Katara," said Toph, "and the Airbender." She began hurling earth at the back of the seething mass of men, not at all bothered by the dark.

* * *

"Well, that is convenient," said Ty Lee quietly. They had been keeping watch on a particularly large building on the waterfront for the better part of an hour. Then a few moments earlier, most of the guards had left in a rush, leaving only a token force.

"Yeah, but it means the others are probably engaged in some sort of fight," pointed out Lothar.

"Well it's now or not at all," said Azula. "Ty Lee, can you sneak up and take out the guard on the corner.

"Not a problem," she said in a light tone and skipped off into the shadows. She dropped on him from above, having scaled the wall in the dark. He went down with nary a grunt and Ty Lee hauled him off into the shadows. Lothar was off and across the space quickly with Azula on his heels. They flattened against the wall and jumped when Ty Lee blinked an arm's length away. The only thing they could see was the whites of her eyes. "Try the door," she whispered. She had the man she had knocked out under his arms, ready to drag him inside. Lothar found the door locked.

"Now what?" he whispered.

"Let me take care of it," said Azula. "Stand behind me and try to block the light." Ty Lee watched for other guards while snatching a glance or two at Azula, who looked like she was trying to melt the lock with a tiny flow of blue fire. A minute later she pulled on the door and it swung inward. They went inside quietly and found a storage closet for the man. It was extremely dark inside.

There was a lot of commotion in another part of the building, but very little on this side. Ty Lee took the lead and was able to quiet several guards before they came to an area that was lit by torches and manned with a dozen or so guards.

"I wonder what they are guarding?" whispered Ty Lee. "Let's find out." She sprinted around the corner before Azula or Lothar could comment. The men looked at her in surprise; their eyes widened even further when the first man went down after a kick in the stomach. She moved among them with the speed of a cat, pivoting her staff back and forth, sometimes hitting chi blocking points and sometimes injuring the men so they would not fight back. She was aware of the others joining the fight, but she continued to dance on among the rest of the men until she spun to search for another opponent to find that everyone was down.

Azula was helping Lothar to his feet. "You should not have come. You are not recovered yet."

Lothar shrugged it off. "Two of them came at me," he said. "I went to the ground on purpose."

"Uh, guys, more people are coming," said Ty Lee. "Let's open this door."

"Done," said Azula. She stepped to the side and stepped into a powerful form, before punching out the hinges with blasts of fire. Lothar kicked down the burning door and went inside. Ty Lee was last inside and was happy to see that they had found the Avatar. Until the light of the fire showed them a clearer look. Ty Lee cried out and even Azula made a disgusted sound in her throat.

Aang was hanging in the center of the room in a wooden cage, bound with fetters and gagged. He had always been a skinny boy, but he was so emaciated that Ty Lee wondered if he was even alive.

"He's just a little kid," said Lothar and Ty Lee looked over at him quickly. His hands were clutched in fists so tight that his knuckles were white and his face went beyond anger into something Ty Lee might have called retribution. "This is wrong," he said. "Someone will pay."

"Well let's get him down," said Azula, "and get him out of here, shall we?"

Lothar followed the cable suspending the cage to the back of the room where it was looped and tied around a large stake driven into the floor. He used the stake for leverage and heaved on the rope. I would not budge. "Zuli, grab on," he called. "It's too heavy." She came over with Ty Lee and the two of them pulled enough slack that Ty Lee was able to undo the knots.

"Don't … call … me … that," said Azula, her voice tight with the strain.

"Just … a term … of endear … ment," said Lothar as he strained to lower the cage slowly. At the end it slipped and banged to the ground the last few feet. Lothar and Azula both fell back with a gasps, but Azula was quickly up looking at his hands, which were now red and raw. He waved her off. "Let's get him out now."

The cage was just a wooden crate and Ty Lee kicked in the slats and ripped the torn wood out of the way. The three of them worked at it to open a space and Lothar ducked inside. "Azula, can you burn these chains?"

"It will take too long," she said. "I'm surprised they even hold him, he's so thin." Ty Lee looked away from the door she had been watching, surprised at the tone of compassion in Azula's voice. Aang stirred.

"Katara? Is that you Katara? Monk Gyatsu?" the Avatar's eyes were glazed.

"Sorry, but we are not your girlfriend," said Azula.

Aang's eyes focused slightly. "Azula?" his voice was all surprise. "Are you here to kill me?"

"I'm afraid not," she said as she worked at his wrists. "We are the rescue party."

"Water," he moaned. "I'm so thirsty."

"And half-starved," said Lothar who was unlimbering a canteen and dripping drops in Aang's mouth. "Azula, I don't think he's going to be able to walk."

"Give me some water … here," she said. Lothar dribbled water on the boy's wrists and Azula was able to slip his arms out of the shackles with only a low groan from Aang.

"More water, please," pleaded Aang who barely noticed the pain in his wrists.

"Uh, guys, I think someone is coming," called out Ty Lee.

"Ok, bud, I'm going to have to carry you," said Lothar. "Time to go."

Ty Lee skipped out the door to meet the oncoming troops with her staff in hand.

Azula followed her out the door with Lothar in tow, carrying Aang.

"Get him out of here, Lothar," she said. "We'll hold them off."

"What? No … let's go," he said.

"We'll be along," said Azula. "Once we're done here." Lothar looked her in the eyes, scowled and then nodded.

Ty Lee stood side by side with Azula as the soldiers rounded the corner. There were a lot of them.

"I would not have thought you were one for desperate last stands, Azula," she said as the men slowed, clearly put off by two innocuous young women standing alone.

"Well Ty Lee, I guess we all change a bit when pushed to it," said Azula.

"Are you doing this for Aang, or Lothar?" she asked.

"Maybe a little of both, Ty Lee," said Azula.

Ty Lee smiled. The men had stopped, facing them, clearly unsure what to expect. Then they parted and an older man came through.

"Princess Azula," he said, "what brings you to our humble base?" He was eyeing the door to the room where Aang had been held. "Do you think Admiral Akihito still needs your help now?"

Ty Lee did not recognize the man, but Azula clearly did.

"Commander Qiro," she said. "You did not even rate a command on a ship?"

Qiro's lip curled and he spat.

"It's more than you are going to get, once Akihito decides you have outlived your usefulness," said the commander.

"What is he talking about, Azula?" asked Ty Lee.

"Old news, Ty Lee," said Azula. "So the rebels have launched their attack, then. They won't win, Qiro. Zuzu is not the same boy you knew. People like him now. He has friends and allies."

Qiro laughed.

"Friends don't win wars, former princess, ships and soldiers do."

"We'll see," said Azula. "Ty Lee?"

"Uh, yes, Azula?" said Ty Lee.

"Run," whispered Azula.

Ty Lee obeyed instantly, turning and sprinting down the corridor. Lightning crackled behind her, and blasts of fire lit the hallway. She stopped just outside the door they had come in, staff in hand. She would go back for Azula if need be. Ty Lee took deep breaths, waiting. An explosive sound crashed down the hall and a grinding sound went on an on as if the building was coming down. Ty Lee took one step toward the door and was nearly knocked down by Azula. She was gasping for breath and Ty Lee caught her and held her up for a moment.

"I don't see anyone coming Azula," said Ty Lee.

"I brought down … the ceiling," she gasped. "Let's go. Lothar's out there somewhere."

"Yeah, but finding him now would just lead our pursuers to him," said Ty Lee.

Azula stood, looking indecisive, which was a new expression on her face. She scowled and nodded.

"You are right," she said. "We'll have to go another way."

* * *

Lothar's legs were killing him and he was glad for the respite as he and the Avatar hid behinds some empty barrels. The kid still couldn't walk, but more water and a bit of food had revived him enough to hang onto Lothar while he was carried. They had been dodging patrols and armed men for half an hour and Lothar was not really any closer to getting out of the base.

More running footsteps approached, but it was not rebel soldiers, it was the Earth Bender, Toph.

He sat up and opened his mouth to cry out, but she had already spun to face him. "You'll stay back if you know what is good for you," she said.

"Toph, its Lothar, and I have the Avatar," he said.

Toph ran over quickly and joined them behind the barrels.

"Twinkle toes? You don't sound very well."

"Toph?" said Aang, who sat up.

"You, bet," she said. "It's good to see you again."

Aang chuckled, the first time Lothar had heard him do anything but groan.

"It's good to see you, too, Toph," he said.

"Where are the others?" she asked quickly.

"We were separated," said Lothar.

"Same here," said Toph. "At least we found Aang. Let's go, I'll lead you out so we can avoid the soldiers."

Lothar reached out and took Aang's arms to heave him onto his back. His legs were a bit shaky, but he'd felt worse before. Maybe. "Ok, Toph, let's go."

* * *

Azula and Ty Lee were the first to return to Marten's position and were disappointed that Lothar had not arrived yet.

"He was carrying someone, Azula, and going back in won't help now," said Ty Lee.

Azula said nothing but stalked off into the darkness.

Suki, Sokka and Mera came in next. Suki was leaning heavily on Sokka and had an injured leg.

"So you saw Aang?" asked Sokka, as he bandaged Suki's leg.

"We rescued him but he couldn't walk and was barely conscious," said Ty Lee. "We sent Lothar off with him, but stayed to keep the guards off his back. Then we came back."

"And you have not seen any sign of Toph or Katara?" asked Sokka.

"Azula and Ty Lee were back first," said Marten. "Then you."

"What's Azula's problem?" asked Suki.

"She's got something going on with Lothar, I think," said Ty Lee. "She wants to go look for him."

"Lothar seemed pretty capable to me," said Sokka. "Let's give him a chance before we dive back into the hornets' nest."

And so they waited. A half hour passed until Azula gave a cry and ran down the hill. Toph led an exhausted looking Lothar in and the others quickly took Aang from his shoulders.

"He looks half-dead," said Marten.

"My friends, this is hardly the reunion I would have chosen," said Aang weakly.

"Well, at least we found you, buddy," said Sokka. He stopped abruptly. "And where is Katara?"

"I thought she went with you?" said Toph.

"We thought she was with you," said Sokka, looking grim. "She must have been captured. This is bad, very bad. We've got Aang, but we had surprise going in. If they have Katara, they'll be expecting us."

"So much the worse for them," said Azula. "We're not leaving her here." Azula was holding a small firelight in her hand, so they could see and her face was back to its' usual determination. The others were looking at her strangely. "What?" she said finally. "Katara got me out of that prison … and … she may have helped figure out few other things besides, while I was in prison."

"Someone needs to take Aang away," said Toph. "And tell Zuko the attack is coming—if he doesn't already know."

"Give me a little more water and I will show them what it means to be the Avatar," said Aang. He attempted to stand and failed. "Or, maybe not."

"Mera can go," suggested Marten quickly. She gave him a very flat look. "I'm going this time. There's not going to be any sneaking if they know we are coming."

"And Suki is not in any condition to fight, either," said Sokka. Suki didn't look happy about it, but she did not argue the point. "Suki can guide you to the Fire Nation capital. We'll be along soon enough."

"Lothar, you look exhausted," said Azula quickly, "you should go, too."

Lothar snorted loudly. "While I appreciate your concerns for my health, Azula, you are not going back in there without me." They started at each other stubbornly until Sokka interrupted them.

"It's time to move," he said.

They put Aang on Mera's bison carefully and Sokka helped Suki up.

"See you soon," said Sokka.

Suki gripped his arm tightly when he stood up to leave. "Be careful, Sokka." Her words were simple, but Sokka heard what she was really saying.

"I love you, Suki," he said.

Suki let out a little surprised breath and pulled him down to kiss him soundly. "I love you, too, Sokka. Go find Katara."

When Marten and Mera were finished with a very similar parting, he leaped down lightly with his staff in hand.

"I think we should just fly in on Panu," he said, "after we do a little scouting to see if we might be able to see something from the air."

The others agreed and climbed onto the large bison's back.

"Good luck," they called to each other and then both bison lifted into the air and flew away in different directions.


	10. Chapter 10

**Dark morning**

Zuko had slept poorly and was staring at the sunrise when a knock came at his door.

They come earlier and earlier, he thought.

He opened the door and was surprised to see Mai standing there.

"Come on, Zuko," she said abruptly. "The Avatar's back."

Zuko couldn't help himself. He kissed her and smiled,

"Don't look at me that way, yet, Zuko," she said. "Aang is not well."

They rushed together to the medical wing of the palace and were showed in to see Aang immediately. The Avatar was asleep and Zuko had to stifle a cry when he saw him. "What's wrong with him?" The physician looked up.

"He's suffering from dehydration and malnutrition."

"It was their way of controlling him," said Suki, who was in the bed next to him.

"The rebels?" asked Zuko and Suki nodded. "How did you get here?"

Suki related the story of their journey since they had parted in a concise a manner as possible.

"So there are more Airbenders?" Zuko asked in surprise.

"Yes," said Suki. "Mera here joined us to try and free Aang, and then flew us here."

Zuko shook her hand and thanked her so profusely that she blushed.

"But where are the others?" he asked a moment later.

"We lost Katara during the rescue attempt," said Suki. "She was separated and didn't come back to the meet-up point. So they were going after her."

Zuko shook his head. He wished the others had come as well. He missed Iroh sorely and had no idea what had happened to Hakoda or Pakku.

"Aang's not going to be in any condition to help when the fleet arrives today," he said. He took his friend's hand. "I'm glad you are all right, buddy. I'm just glad you are all right." He said goodbye to Suki and Mera and walked back to his rooms.

"Well, you are quiet," said Mai, "which means you are brooding about something."

"I don't know how we can hold, Mai," he said. "I don't see how we can win."

"Well, worrying about it won't help," said Mai.

Zuko ate breakfast in his room, with Mai there, not speaking but simply watching quietly.

"You should go, Mai," he said finally. "I have a feeling the new Fire Lord is not going be very kind to the former Fire Lord's fiancé."

"Zuko, stop," she said forcefully. "You know I'm not going to leave you. This is not like you. I've seen you do crazy things before when you had to, when you believed. We're not done yet."

"Without Aang … " he began.

"We'll find a way!" she shouted at him. "We will." Zuko was surprised at intensity of her words. She believed in him. Like Uncle had believed in him. He suddenly felt an intense desire to succeed just because of her faith in him. He opened his mouth to say something … anything to thank her but he couldn't speak; couldn't get the words out. She came around the table and sat in his lap.

"Hold me, Zuko," she said.

They were still sitting together without moving when word came that the invasion had begun.

* * *

"Well something has stirred them up a like a swarm of bees," said Pakku.

"We should use the confusion to see if we can find Aang," said Hakoda.

"An entire night of searching was fruitless," said Pakku. "He might not even be here."

"I still think that building that was too heavily guarded to get close was the one," said Pakku.

They sat watching the increased activity in the base from their hiding place outside the wall. It had been frustrating and useless searching, but Hakoda really believed the Avatar was here. It was the only thing that made sense.

"I'm going to try again," said Hakoda suddenly. Something was pulling him in. Something.

Pakku nodded and they crept away knowing they had only a couple of hours before the dawn.

Hakoda went over the low wall and headed off to search closer to the docks. The soldiers that were out searching seemed very intent on finding something, but they carried so many lanterns it was not hard to avoid them in the dark.

"Another one coming," whispered Pakku and they hurried around a corner and melted into the shadows as a large force went by. They had a prisoner in their midst and Hakoda nearly cried out in shock when he realized it was Katara. What was she doing here? Pakku's hand on his shoulder steadied him and he waited until they had passed before following at a safe distance. They marched her down to a large square next to the docks and tied her up to a boom used for loading cargo. The soldiers set up in a formation around her and then stood waiting.

"They think someone is going to come to rescue her," whispered Pakku.

"Someone is," said Hakoda.

"Not us," said Pakku. "I doubt Katara came here alone."

"No, probably not," agreed Hakoda. "Do we wait or go now?"

"I think now," said Pakku. "They made the mistake of bringing her close to the water. Wait five minutes and draw their attention to this direction." Master Pakku crept away and Hakoda drew his sword quietly and waited the required time before walking out into the square.

The soldiers turned his way immediately but stayed in formation as a captain walked toward him.

"You have my daughter, sir," said Hakoda. Katara's eyes were very wide when she recognized him.

"She has invaded our base and injured or killed our soldiers," said the man. "Do you think we are just going to give her back?"

"You would if you wanted to keep your skins whole," said Hakoda.

The man laughed. "So you are going to defeat all of us singlehandedly."

"Not exactly," said Hakoda and the then the ocean flowed over the docks and collapsed on the men in an inexorable wave. "Nice timing Pakku," whispered Hakoda as he struck the captain on the side of the head with the flat of his blade and sprinted for Katara.

* * *

"Something's happening down in that square," said Marten. "And there is a lot of water being thrown about."

Sokka leaned over the side of the saddle. It was still very dark and hard to see but the square was lit with many lanterns.

"It's not Katara," said Sokka. "She's tied up to that pole thing."

"So let's land already," said Toph. "I can't see anything from here."

"I can't put Panu down in the middle of that!" said Marten.

"Fine," said Azula. "Figure something out. I'm going." And she leaped over the side.

"Wha … " cried Marten in surprise.

"Don't worry," said Sokka. "She flies." And true to his words, blue fire bathed the fight below in a ghostly blue light. Now Sokka could see much better. The fight seemed to be centered around two men; one with a sword and the other bending water.

"Is that … Dad?" said Sokka incredulously.

"Your dad is here?" said Toph in surprise.

"And Master Pakku," said Sokka excitedly.

"This is so weird," said Toph.

* * *

Katara was sure she could not be any more surprised than when she heard her father's voice, speaking to the captain, but then things had gone from confusing to insane.

Water came splashing down on the guard company and she heard cries of surprise until they were swept away in the flood. She stood as high as she could manage and saw her father fighting his way toward her through the remaining soldiers and the knee deep water. A moment later a wall of ice formed and Master Pakku surfed into view, bending as he went. Ice shields deflected spears as men poured into the square from every alley and street. This had been a trap.

Into the middle of it came Azula, like fire from the sky.

The benders immediately focused on her and she wove a deadly shield of flame to throw them back several times. Pakku was at her side then.

"Are you hurt, Katara?" he asked as he slashed her bindings with ice picks.

"I'm fine," she said and promptly fell forward. Pakku caught her in time to keep from doing a face plant, but her legs would not hold her up.

"You are not fine," said Pakku.

"Dad's out there," she said quickly.

"I'm sure he'll be along in a moment," said Pakku. His ice wall was melting and Katara knew he could not bend while holding her up. "Besides, it looks like the cavalry has arrived."

* * *

Panu landed in the space between them and the ice wall only long enough for Toph, Sokka, Ty Lee and Marten to jump off before leaping back into the sky.

When the attacking fire benders broke through the wall, they were met with a devastating counter-attack of earth, air and water. But the numbers were still not in their favor.

Suddenly, the fading darkness was lit with crackling sheet lightning that momentarily everyone in the square.

"Enough!" shouted Azula in the moment of surprised silence that followed. "This fight is pointless. We are going to take back the prisoner. The question you have to ask yourselves is how many of you will be killed or injured before we do it."

No one moved and Azula continued in the silence. "You are all in open rebellion against your Fire Lord. When your fleet is defeated, you will be left here at his mercy. Throw down your weapons now and I will recommend he pardon you when the time comes. I am Princess Azula, brother to Fire Lord Zuko."

Katara had seen Azula overbearing and pompous before, but this was something different. This was _presence_. Men looked at her and _believed_.

Swords began to clatter to the stones. There was some outcry, but it was quickly hushed.

"Now disperse and wait until we return to give you judgment," said Azula.

Men started to leave the square and Azula did not move until they were all gone. Marten called for Panu and the bison landed in the middle of the square.

"Father!" cried Katara when he came to her. "What are you doing here?"

"We came looking for Aang," he said as he carried her to the others.

"So did we," she said.

"Well, he's already gone," said Sokka.

"You mean you found him?" asked Katara.

"Azula did, and Lothar carried him out," said Sokka.

"Carried? Was he injured?" she asked.

"Mostly just starved," said Azula, joining them.

"Nicely done, Princess Azula, said Pakku.

"Thank you," she said and actually blushed at the compliment.

What was wrong with her, wondered Katara. "The Avatar is not going to be able to help in the battle to come," said Azula. "I know we are all tired, but Zuko is going to need our help very soon."

Hakoda reached out a hand to squeeze her shoulder.

"We are with you Princess," he said. "Can your bison fly all of us out of here?" he asked Marten, after he had been introduced.

"Not and fly very far he can't," said Marten.

"How did you get here, Dad?" asked Sokka.

"We borrowed a balloon," said Hakoda.

"Then the bending masters should fly with Marten to help with the invasion and the rest of us should come in the balloon," suggested Sokka. The others thought this over and nodded agreement.

"I'm not going to be much help in a water fight," said Toph. "I'll take the balloon."

Panu flew them all to the balloon location and Hakoda, Sokka, Toph, Ty Lee and Lothar slid off after Hakoda hugged Katara.

"I know I don't have to tell you this, but I am a parent," said Hakoda. "Be careful."

"I will, Dad; we'll see you soon," said Katara.

Lothar stood on the ground, looking up at Azula, but said nothing. He held her gaze until they took off.

"Let's get this contraption flying," said Hakoda. "I have a feeling we'll be needed yet."


	11. Chapter 11

**Final play**

Zuko stood staring over the harbor and the beaches, knowing that men were going to be dying soon. Mai was there and several of his generals and admirals, but there was nothing further to discuss. Plans had been made. Now they were simply waiting for battle to be joined.

Inside, Zuko's stomach was churning. He was the Fire Lord and he could do nothing. He was the Fire Lord. These were his people. Those thoughts kept spinning around and around in his head.

"My Lord what are you doing?"

Zuko's fists were clenched tightly and white fire was scoring the stone at his feet. Suddenly he knew he must do something more.

"Stand back, please," he said.

"Zuko, what are you doing?" said Mai in a tight voice.

He looked her in the eyes. "I love you, Mai," he said and then jumped off the wall. The white fire came at his call and he soared down the canyon, burning as bright as the sun. He landed roughly on the empty beach and looked out at the incoming ships. They were less than a half-mile from the shore under full steam. He had to do something extreme. Something that would make them surrender with a minimum of battle.

Zuko closed his eyes and summoned the fire. For just a moment he felt like a conduit for the sun, impossibly large and full of power. I must see my enemies, he thought. He rose like a phoenix and looked down on the fleet spread before him. He felt an intense sadness at the death he was about to bring. They were his people, even if they were his enemies.

Zuko opened himself deeper to the spirit of the sun and unbidden, formed a huge ball of white fire that built in brightness until he closed his own eyes against the radiance. And then he hurled it at the fleet.

Even he was shocked at the result. The ball of fire burned a hole straight through the center of a huge battleship and it began to sink immediately. Flaming stones began to rise toward him from ship catapults and almost absentmindedly he exploded them in mid-air. He began to hurl balls of white fire as fast as he could form them. Ships sank. Ocean vaporized in great clouds of steam. Zuko exulted in the power of it, riding the flame like a Sun God. A tiny voice in his mind said he would lose himself if he did not pull back, but he ignored it. He was Fire Lord Zuko, the Lord of Fire.

 _Enough, Zuko!_

The voice was so like Uncle Iroh's that Zuko cried out his name.

 _Go back, Zuko_ , _it is enough_.

Zuko let go slowly, and was suddenly adrift in a wide ocean. He sank to the ground and crumpled to the beach. The wet sand was cool to his touch. He was very tired. He decided to take a little nap before he went to see his advisors. His last thought was that Mai was going to be very angry with him.

* * *

"What was that?" asked Marten. They were flying very high over the fleet and had just watched someone destroy a dozen battleships with impossibly bright balls of flame.

"Zuzu," said Azula as she looked down in amazement. "You've been holding out on me."

"You think that was Zuko?" asked Katara.

"Yes, the bending had his signature in it," said Azula.

"Is the rest of the fleet retreating?' asked Marten.

"I don't think so," said Master Pakku. "They've pulled back, but they don't look like they are leaving. I'm guessing their general or admiral or whatever you call him is still down there."

"Then we need to remove him from the board," said Azula. "Marten, can you circle for a bit?"

Azula leaned over the saddle and watched the movement of the ships carefully for several minutes. "There, I think," she said. "Let's try there."

Marten had Panu fly lower and lower until they were skimming the wave tops. As they approached the fleet flagship, Azula put her hand on the saddle to leap over and Katara stopped her with a touch.

"I'm coming," she said.

Azula met her eyes and shook her head.

"I need to do this myself," said Azula.

"Azula, I don't care what you hatched up with him before; that's done with now," said Katara.

She nodded and they both went over the side.

"Get to safety Panu," said Marten and he took to the air as Master Pakku surfed off to surround the ship in a great block of ice.

Katara rode the ice up to the deck of the ship and landed just as Azula set down in a burst of blue flame. Men scattered in surprise and Azula walked forward toward the bridge.

"Princess Azula, it has been a long time," said a man above them.

"Admiral Akihito," said Azula. "I don't think your invasion is going so well."

"On the contrary, I've lost a few ships, but if whoever did that could do any more I doubt he would have stopped," said the admiral. "So a minor setback at best. Don't tell me you've come to help. My soldiers and informants say you have been quite a nuisance since we sailed you away from that prison."

"Well, things are never quite what we wish them to be, or what they seem," said Azula. "Like the fact that we have rescued the Avatar from your prison."

Akihito's expression changed with that revelation.

"Have you come to bargain, Princess?" he said finally. "Do you still dream of replacing me as the new Fire Lord?"

"There is not going to be a new Fire Lord," said Azula. "Zuzu is doing just fine. I came here to suggest your surrender. The last fleet to attack a city defended by the Avatar didn't do so well." It was a bluff, but Azula hoped it worked.

Akihito laughed.

"I doubt your Avatar," and he filled the name with scorn, "is going to be up to any bending any time soon."

"After your torture, you mean," said Katara.

Akihito shifted his gaze to her then. "Ah, the Avatar's faithful dog, always licking his feet and following him about. I take it you didn't appreciate my treatment of your master?"

Katara said nothing, but Azula could see how tense she was.

"It's time for you to surrender," said Azula, "before we sink your ship."

This thought had clearly not occurred to Akihito. The ship had slowed as the ice buildup added weight and friction to the hull. Ahihito's face hardened again.

"This is the largest battleship of the Fire Navy," he claimed. "A little ice is only a bit of a bother."

"Last chance, Admiral," said Azula tensing. Firebenders were now everywhere on the deck. This could turn out poorly.

"Kill them," shouted Akihito.

Blasts of fire erupted everywhere but they were met with a wave of ocean that rose over the side and evaporated in the heat. Azula blasted off and flew up toward the admiral. Akihito sent blast after blast at her, but she spun in mid air and kicked with both feet, bathing the bridge in blue flames. The admiral rose as his advisors scattered, clawing over each other to reach the door. Azula landed lightly on the railing.

"This invasion is over," she said.

"Do you think there are not a dozen of my under-officers that want to be Fire Lord as much as I do?" said Akihito. "Killing me won't stop the invasion."

"Well, I guess we'll just have to find out," she said. Akihito attacked, but to Azula, his movements were old and slow. He had always been more of a tactical leader than a great firebender and in moments she had driven him back and pinned him to the bulkhead.

"Finish it then," he said.

"You think you are going to receive the mercy of a quick end?" she said. "No, I don't think so." His eyes widened and she kicked him in the stomach and then knocked him out when he collapsed. Azula dragged him to the edge of the railing and began shouting for the fighting to stop. Eventually, enough of the fighters saw their unconscious admiral that they dropped their weapons or stopped bending. Marten dropped out of the sky to land on the bridge.

"Well done again, but I'm afraid our neighbors are not going to capitulate," he said.

Azula looked at the surrounding ships and they were all turning their catapults to fire on the admiral's ship.

"Unbelievable," she said as Panu swooped down from the sky and they leaped to his saddle. Katara had gone over the side and was ice surfing toward the shore with the other water bender.

"These flying furballs come in handy," she said. "I need to get me one."

"They are not pets," said Marten.

"Lighten up," she said. "It was a joke."

"Where do we go now," he asked.

"Let's pick up the others and go to the palace," she suggested. It was time to meet dear Zuzu.

* * *

"I'm guessing the invasion didn't go so well if the ships are all steaming away from the capital," said Hakoda.

"There are still a lot of ships down there," said Lothar. "Too bad we can't trap them somehow."

"The gates didn't look damaged when we flew over," said Hakoda. "I wonder if Zuko has had more problems with defections."

"We should close them then," said Ty Lee brightly.

The others looked at her like she was crazy. "How?" asked Sokka.

"I dunno," she said.

"We could raid the gatehouse and have Toph metal bend the mechanisms so they can't be opened, once we lower the nets," suggested Sokka. Hakoda thought on this for a while and seemed to be considering it.

"It does seem a shame to not end things right here and now," said Hakoda. "Ty Lee, do you know anything about these gates?"

"Nope," she said.

"Well, if they need to be lowered from both sides then we'll need two teams, but Toph can't be in two places," said Sokka.

"I don't think this is a good idea," said Hakoda frowning. "You kids have been through enough. And we're all tired."

"But Dad, we could end this right now," said Sokka. "We are not kids anymore. You can't protect us forever."

Hakoda's gaze was trouble and his eyes were wet. "You did have to grow up too fast," he said. "And you're right, I can't protect you forever." He considered each of them and then said. "Together then. Let's see if we can figure out how to do this."

Half an hour later they were over the lowered gates.

"I'm guessing the side with the larger garrison is where they control them from," said Hakoda.

"And they are not flying a Fire Nation flag, either," pointed out Lothar.

"I still don't see how we are going to do this and still escape in the balloon," said Hakoda.

"Let's land on that tower there and let down a line," suggested Ty Lee. "When we are done we climb up and fly away.  
"Unless they burn the balloon," said Toph.

"It's pretty far," said Ty Lee.

"Why not have Sokka fly us down, drop us off and wait for us to be picked up?" said Toph.

"No way; I'm coming," he said immediately.

"Come on Sokka, you are by far the best pilot," said Toph.

"We need to move," said Lothar, "we are acquiring an audience."

"Fine," said Sokka and threw the airship into a dive. The rest readied their weapons and prepared to go over the side of the basket.

"Jump now," yelled Sokka and they did.

Lothar landed lightly and saw that the others were all there. Hakoda had a line with a grapple and they raced across the roof with Toph in the lead.

"Follow me," she said and crawled down the wall head first like an insect. She hit the ground as a group of guards came in sight and she ripped a large chunk of the wall out and threw it at them before slamming a platform of earth up to the roof edge.

"She's really awesome," said Lothar again, shaking his head as his stomach dropped away with a lurch. The pillar took them back to earth and they ran in the building through the wall she had ripped out.

Lothar had his twin blades out, but he hardly needed them as he raced after Toph. She knew men were coming before he saw them and sent them or chunks of metal wall flying as needed.

They rounded a corner suddenly and were facing at least two dozen armed men standing in front of a large door.

"I hope you girls don't really want to fight because I would then have to hurt you," said Toph. She didn't wait for a response but jumped straight up and pulled the ceiling down on top of them. The men scattered and the fight was short and intense. When the rest of the enemy had fled, they tallied up injuries. They were all scraped and cut, but only Ty Lee had a serious slice across her thigh. Hakoda bound it tightly while Toph set about pulling down the door.

Apparently the grinding and quaking outdoors had the crew inside terrified and they simply laid down and pled for mercy when the group rushed in. It turned out they were not rebels at all, so when they explained what they were doing, the mechanism crew set to work furiously, while Toph "closed" the door behind them.

The great gates began to lower ponderously. A banging started on the outside of the gatehouse, but there was no door left for them to open.

"How are we going to get out now?" asked Ty Lee.

"Can you make a hole in the roof?" Hakoda asked Toph.

"In a minute," she replied. Toph was using her bending to speed up the mechanism, which was grinding slightly faster than before. The gates were now halfway across the huge span.

"Can we take everyone with us?" asked Ty Lee.

"It'll be crowded," said Hakoda, "but we'll make everyone fit."

The minutes crept by and Lothar noticed the banging outside had stopped.

"Is there another way in?" he asked one of the gate crew.

"Only if they come through the exhaust vents," snorted one of the men.

"Is that possible?" he said. "Show me."

The crewman took him into steamy room full of pipes and led towards the back. Fire burned a hole in the mist before they made it and Lothar barely managed to jerk the man down.

"Get out," he yelled and then dove low to roll through the mist until a man running tripped over him and went flying. Lothar was up in their midst, working both blades and hoping there were not many of them. He stifled a cry when a sword slashed him from behind through his leather armor. He ducked, rolled and met the man's blade on his own.

The man didn't speak but pressed his advantage until Lothar had backed up against a wall of pipes and had nowhere to go. Out of nowhere a pipe came flashing and slammed the man to pin him against a wall. The sound of creaking, bending pipes combined with the screams of men until Lothar thought even fire leopards might have run in fright.

Toph appeared a moment later, her bangs plastered to her forehead with sweat.

"What a beautiful sight," he said.

"Hey, punk, don't be two-timin' Azula now that I'm starting to like her," she said.

"I'll try to remember that, Toph," he said and fell forward. That cut on his back must have been worse than he thought.

* * *

"Ty Lee! Hakoda! Help me," cried Toph as Lothar slowly faded off to sleep. He was so tired.

"No way!"

Lothar started from sleep and opened his eyes to a dim room.

"Shut up you idiots," he heard Azula say. "You just woke him up."

"Oh, sorry Azula," came the voice Lothar thought was the Avatar.

"I'm awake, Azula," said Lothar. "So I guess I'm not dead."

"No, fortunately we are _all_ not dead," said Toph.

"Well, did we win?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah," said Toph. "We kicked their butts."

"Well, that's good," said Lothar. He tried to sit up and moaned when the bandages pulled on the wound in his back.

"Just lay back, stupid," said Azula. "If you must know, by closing the Great Gates you trapped the fleet and for the most part, they surrendered."

"Toph, you rock," said Lothar, smiling.

Toph blushed and smiled back.

"Yeah, but you haven't even heard the best yet," said Aang. "Oh, by the way, thanks for rescuing me, Lothar."

"You are welcome, Avatar," he said.

"Call me Aang; I think rescuing me from the middle of a Fire Nation camp puts us a first-name basis," he said. "Zuko—you have not met him yet, he is the Fire Lord—he almost singlehandedly crushed the fleet. People say they had never seen fire bending like that before."

"I don't think anyone has ever done anything like it before," said Azula grumpily.

"You don't sound happy about it," said Lothar.

Azula made a face. "I was always the better bender," she said. "Always. Then he started running with our crazy uncle and suddenly he turns into this hero. And now … well, I saw the end of his crazy fire bending and it was insane. I think he nearly died from it. He hasn't been out of bed since."

"Have you visited him?" asked Lothar.

"We are not exactly ... close," she said quietly. "I doubt he'd be happy to see me."

"Did the others make it back all right?" he asked.

"Suki is fine," said Aang. "She's out on crutches now. Which is more than I have managed," he finished in a low mumble.

"You almost died, Twinkle Toes," said Toph. "And there is nothing to do now anyway, so relax."

"But Toph, there are real Airbenders here," said Aang. "And sky bison. And I'm stuck in the hospital."

"Have Mera and Marten come to visit?" asked Lothar.

"Only for hours at a time," said Toph, "but it is not enough for Aang."

"Toph you don't understand," said Aang. "If you thought you were the last Earth Bender anywhere then you might get it."

"I'm just teasing Aang," she said. "I know you are anxious."

"So did Toph fill you in on closing the gates?" said Lothar.

"Hakoda told me a little about it," said Aang. "But Toph won't take any credit. She said it was all Hakoda and you."

Lothar laughed loudly.

"Have you ever seen Toph tear through metal walls with her bare hands?" he asked.

"I've never there for the good stuff," said Aang.

"Well, let me recommend this to you—never argue with Toph in a room full of metal pipes if you don't want to be beaten about the head and shoulders."

"Well, if you are all done congratulating yourselves, I think I will leave you for a walk," said Azula.

"Oh, I don't think we are done yet," said Toph. "There's still the story of how you landed on the Admiral's battleship and fought them all single-handedly before sinking the ship."

Lothar turned to her, "I thought you said you were going to be careful."

She gave the others a very odd look. If Lothar didn't know better, he thought it was one of embarrassed modesty, but Azula was never modest or embarrassed.

"It didn't happen that way," she said. "And I didn't do it alone. Katara and Marten were there, and his flying furball and that ancient waterbending dude."

"Yeah, but Katara said you were the one who knocked out the Admiral on his own bridge," said Toph. Lothar was watching Toph curiously and he thought she was teasing Azula and Azula didn't get it.

"Well, yes, I did that," said Azula, "but he wasn't really a very good fire bender."

"Still Azula, everyone says you and Zuko are the heroes of the Fire Nation and that you saved them from the rebels," said Aang. Now Lothar was sure they were teasing her.

"Technically, I would be a heroine," said Azula, but she actually looked pleased.

"Well, there you go," said Toph. "Heroine of the Fire Nation."

"Yes, well, I'm hungry; I'm going to breakfast," she said quickly. And then she did something far more amazing that Lothar had ever seen. She leaned over and kissed him full on the mouth. With everyone watching. She left quickly without looking back.

After their initial shock wore off, Aang and Toph dissolved into peals of uncontrolled laughter to the point where the physician came in and told them they should be resting. Aang put on a long face until she left, but broke out in silent giggles that made his bed shake.

"That was not very nice," said Lothar, but even he was smiling.

"Did you see her face," said Toph. "I think she was actually blushing. We are talking about the I-will-crush-you-and-grind-you-beneath-my-heal Azula here. She hardly seems the same."

"Or maybe she is just learning how to be a real person," said Aang.


	12. Chapter 12

Living with sorrow and joy

Zuko worked the forms harder, swinging the twin broadswords in ever faster arcs. Sweat pored off his forehead into his eyes and he ignored it. Zuko focused on each tiny movement; the sweep of his foot movement, the twisting of his core, his balance and extension. He repeated the form again and again, each time faster than the last. Control. Speed meant nothing without control. Faster and faster and faster until his shoulders were on fire and his legs were feeling like flimsy noodles.

"You make me tired just watching you," said Mai.

Zuko spun to face her, chest heaving. He let the swords droop at his side and looked at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Watching you, brainless," she said. "I heard you were sweating down here without your shirt on. I figured I would come and enjoy the view." A small smile just touched her lips, but her eyes were laughing at him.

"Well I didn't ask for spectators," he said harshly.

"That's all right," she said. "I wasn't asking for permission."

"Why are you here?"

"You mean why am I here watching my fiancé drive himself to exhaustion instead of talking about his problems?" she said. Sometimes Mai's unflappable personality grated on Zuko's nerves. Sometimes he just wanted to shout at her. Sometimes he wished she would shout at him.

"I can't fire bend anymore!" said Zuko. On waking he had felt something gone. It was inexplicable, but even summoning a tiny palm-flame was beyond him.

"I thought it might be something like that," said Mai. She rose and came to him. His posture was not inviting and he was covered in sweat but she put her arms around him anyway. For the ever-fastidious Mai this was akin to another jumping in a pig-pen and rolling in the mud. He stiffened in surprise, but she did not let him go.

"You can talk to me about these kinds of things, Zuko," she said quietly. "Even if you can't tell anyone else."

"What am I going to do, Mai?" said Zuko. "Has there ever been a Fire Lord who cannot fire bend?"

"Who cares?" she said. "Do you think it matters now? We won. Thanks to you."

"And Azula and Toph and all our friends," said Zuko.

"Maybe, but no one saw what they did, even if the stories are going around about their heroics," said Mai. "The entire army saw you destroy half the attacking fleet and send them away in defeat. They all went home and told their families and their friends. There is no one in the Fire Nation that has ears that has not heard yet how Fire Lord Zuko personally won the day and defended the capital. All those families have their fathers and husbands back today because of what you did. Do you think they care if you can fire bend? They love you, Zuko."

"It's gone, Mai," said Zuko. "There's this big hole in me. I feel like I'm starving and nothing can feed me." He started to sob then, and Mai only held him tighter. He held onto her like she was the only solid thing in a world that threatened to sweep him away.

"Zuko, I know I can't understand what you are feeling, but I am here for you," she said. "I told you we would think of something and it turns out you did. Men died, but many, many more men lived. There is a price to pay, Zuko and you paid it for our all of us."

"What do I do now, Mai?" said Zuko. "How do I go on like this?"

Mai pushed him back to arm's length and looked him in the eyes.

"Well, first of all, you need to stop moping around and get back to work," she said. "Your council has been taking care of things, but you are the Fire Lord."

"I can't make myself care about that stuff," he said.

Mai looked at him for a long time.

"We need to have Iroh's funeral," she said. "And you need to tell the people about him. You will never heal until you bind up that wound. And then we need to get married. Out in the main square with everyone there. You need to see how much they appreciate what you did for them."

"Ok," said Zuko finally. "Let's do it. Today."

"Do what today?" said Mai.

"The funeral and the marriage," said Zuko. "I need something today."

"Are you serious?" she said. "Today?"

"Are you telling me you don't have a dress?" said Zuko with a hint of a smile.

"Well, yes, I do … but," she began and stopped. She looked at him closely. "Ok, we'll do it today."

* * *

The palace square was full of people, probably not so much because Iroh had been universally loved, but rather because Zuko had become insanely popular overnight. State funerals were largely governed by tradition and protocol, both of which Zuko had ignored. Iroh's casket was lying on the same steps were Zuko had been named Fire Lord. It was not an ornate thing, but had been covered with many of the flowers and plants that had been his uncle's favorites. Zuko stood on the dais with his hands resting on the coffin and raised his hand for the crowd to quiet.

"People of the Fire Nation," he began. His words boomed out over the throng thanks to an airbending technique Aang had learned from the two Airbenders who had joined his friends. "I asked you to come today to hear the tale of Iroh, Prince of the Fire Nation, but more importantly Husband and Father." Zuko stopped again and took a deep breath. He was not sure he could do this. Mai's reassuring hand covered his and he went on. "Iroh was born a prince in a nation at war with its' neighbors. A war our fathers unjustly waged. Many know him as General Iroh, the Dragon of the West, a warrior of great renown. He was all those things, but something happened in his life that changed his course and with him, the course of the entire Fire Nation.

"Iroh was at Ba Sing Se when he received news that his son, Lu Ten, had been killed. Iroh withdrew from the siege of the city and withdrew from court politics. My father became Fire Lord and Iroh became the butt of many jokes. When I was banished, he chose to come with me. I did not really see it at the time, but his quiet, kind advice was slowly sinking in as we traveled around the world, seeking the Avatar. Even when I left him and said harsh things to him, he never gave up on me. His wisdom led me to find my true path. To join the Avatar and end a war that had torn apart the Four Nations for a hundred years. With his friends, Iroh destroyed the occupying forces of Ba Sing Se and delivered that city from its oppressors. When we finally had peace, he retired to his own tea shop and brought simple pleasure to those who knew him. Until war came again and I needed him." Tears obscured his vision now, but he had to keep speaking or he would never finish. "Iroh came for me and died for me and today we honor a great son of the Fire Nation whose life helped bring us peace." Zuko could not go on.

Trumpets blared and the fanfare of a Fire Lord was played, as Zuko had insisted. He had also decided that he would help bear the casket and his friends had insisted they would join him. Toph, Sokka, Katara, Suki, Master Piandao, Chief Hakoda and Master Pakku each took a handhold and made their way down the steps. There was no guard, but the crowd parted for them in silence until they had made their way to the royal crypt where he was laid to rest. Zuko was the last to leave. Mai was waiting for him by the door.

"Smile, Zuko," she said. "He's gone, but he would have wanted you to be a little more happy."

Zuko did smile then, thinking of his uncle's hearty laugh and love of tea-making.

Goodbye Uncle, he said to himself and took Mai's hand.

Despite the short notice, by sunset the main square was decorated for a wedding.

Two weddings actually, or one wedding with two couples. Suki had decided that since everyone was there, she had no intention of waiting any longer and Sokka found himself standing with Zuko and Aang at the top of the steps, with butterflies the size of rhino-zebras bouncing around inside his belly.

"I can't believe Suki convinced you to get married today," said Aang.

"She didn't really convince him, Aang," said Zuko who tried to cover his own nervousness with a smile. "She told him they were either getting married today or he could find a new girlfriend."

Aang's bark of laughter startled Momo who scolded him before flying up to the peak of the palace roof behind them.

"Well it's not like Mai doesn't tell you what to do half the time," said Sokka.

Aang snorted. "Half the time?" said Aang. "When doesn't she tell him what to do?"

Zuko made a face and looked around. All their friends were there talking companionably, but for some reason he thought of Azula. She had been she was roaming free about the palace and he had not once seen her anywhere. That she had helped save the nation was not to be doubted. That she had personally helped save the Avatar was a fact. But what did he do with her now?

The fanfare started and Suki appeared through the parted curtains. She was wearing a simple white dress but you couldn't really notice anything else about her but the warmth of her smile. Katara and Toph followed as a bridesmaids and Zuko smiled to see that Sokka and Aang both looked like they had been struck dumb in awe. Zuko nearly laughed too, because, despite the fact that she had dressed up, Toph was still barefoot.

The ceremony was actually conducted by Master Pakku with Chief Hakoda at his shoulder, eyes full of tears. It was a simple Water Tribe ceremony, but when Zuko had stepped forward to present his friends to the crowd as heroes of two wars and friends of the Fire Nation the crowd roared wildly in approval. Suki and Sokka both had tears in their eyes and Zuko winked at them with a smile before Hakoda and Katara, Aang and Toph, enveloped them in a huge hug. This went on for some time before the fanfare announced the next bride's arrival and suddenly Zuko's mouth was very dry.

The others took their places and Mai came through the curtains next. She had abandoned her normally dark make-up and her face glowed with color and life in a way Zuko had never seen before. Ty Lee followed and with a start Zuko realized the second bridesmaid was Azula, with her hair down.

"Is that Azula in a dress?" he heard Sokka say in a low voice. Suki elbowed him and he coughed.

The others peeled off and he found himself standing with Mai, facing the crowd.

"You look wonderful," he whispered.

"Thanks," she said. "Ty Lee refused the let me do my own make-up."

The crowd hushed and the Fire Nation priest took them through the ceremony. When he finished, Aang stepped forward and using his bending trick, spoke to the crowd.

"My fiends of the Fire Nation, I present to you my dear friend, Fire Lord Zuko and his wife, Fire Lady Mai!" The explosion of the crowd was literally deafening, and Mai's hand tightened in his as a shiver made his whole body shake. And then Aang was hugging him, and Katara and Ty Lee and Toph and all of his friends were there in circle and in his mind he heard the voice of his Uncle, _Be happy, my son._ All of Zuko's sadness was washed away in tears of joy.

* * *

Lothar had been tired before, but he didn't think his feet had ever been as sore as they were after three hours of dancing. At least six or seven music groups were set up in the main square and what had begun as a marriage celebration had become a victory celebration for the citizens of the capital that had been living under the threat of invasion for months. Lothar had danced with all his new friends at some point in the evening, but for the most part Azula had seemed determined to work him until his legs were worn down to stumps. Finally, he had escaped and hidden behind a column, hoping for a bit of rest.

"Had enough, have you?" said Toph.

Lothar jumped before he saw her sitting there in the darkness, massaging her own feet. He laughed and sat down next to dark-haired, earthbender. He was very comfortable with her sense of humor and her earthiness.

"Dancing around on stone is hard on my feet," she said.

"Well, you look very nice today," he said. "That is a very pretty dress."

"I'll have to take your word for it," she said.

"Well, I noticed you haven't wanted for partners tonight," he said. "Apparently being friends with the Fire Lord, a national hero and very pretty as well, makes you popular around here."

"You probably would get a few more partners yourself if Azula did not scare them all away," said Toph. "How did you manage to get away?"

"I told her I was going to find a spice bun," he said. "Which I did. I just didn't go looking for her immediately afterward."

"Well, don't expect to stay hidden long," she said. "That one knows how to hunt. She chased us half-way across the world once."

"You all don't quite know what to do with her, I've noted," he said.

"At first I thought she was just acting," said Toph, "but enough of the old, caustic Azula comes through that I really think she has changed. Probably because of you."

"What? I've only known her for a few weeks," he said in surprise.

"Oh, I can hear the way she says your name," said Toph. "She's totally in love with you, even if she won't admit it herself."

"Well that's good," he said.

Toph laughed.

"She also strikes me as the jealous type, so I wouldn't wait too long before you going looking for her," she suggested.

"Thanks Toph," he said. "See you 'round."

Lothar went looking for Azula and it was not long before he found her with the others. Aang and Ty Lee were apparently competing to see who could dance the other into submission, but neither seemed to be tiring at all. The rest were gathered around them laughing companionably. The married couples had slipped away earlier in the evening but everyone else was here, enjoying the release from weeks or even months of tension. Hakoda was standing back a bit, watching it all with a smile and Lothar walked to stand next to him.

"How does it feel to be the father of two of the most famous people in the Four Nations and personal friends of the Avatar?" he asked.

Hakoda laughed and put a companionable arm around Lothar. It felt so much like a gesture his father might have made that Lothar bit his lip and fought back the tears.

"Lothar, I would try and describe it to you, but until you become a parent, you simply cannot understand," he said.

"I suppose not," he said.

"Moments like this make me miss my Kya more than ever," said Hakoda.

"My father was killed in the war," said Lothar.

"The war took things away from all of us," said Hakoda quietly.

Azula finally caught sight of him and smiled as she came over. All her hairpins had fallen out and her flyaway hair made her look so different. She took his hand and pulled him away, but not back to the dance.

"Uh, where are we going?" he asked.

"Somewhere else," she said vaguely.

They left the crowd far enough behind that they could speak without shouting.

"Have you spoken with your brother?" he said.

"No," she said.

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"No," she said.

"I see," he said.

"I'm leaving tonight, actually," she said.

"What? Tonight?"

"Well, it will take me a bit to steal a ship, but no one is on guard so it won't be that hard," she said.

"And am I invited along?" he asked.

"You don't know where I am going?" she asked.

"Well?" he said. "Where are you going then?"

"Just around," she said. "I think I want to see the world a bit."

"I see," he said. Lothar decided he was going to wait her out. If she couldn't come out and say she wanted him along, he was not going to ask.

The silence stretched.

"Well?" she said.

"Well what?" he said.

"Are you coming, or not?" she said. It was phrased like a question but came out more like a command.

"Are you inviting me on your little world tour, then?"

"Well, yes," she said.

"Ok, I'll be happy to come, then," he said and was nearly bowled over by her full-body hug.

"Did you think, I wouldn't?" he asked.

"Well, running away with a fugitive isn't everybody's idea of a good time," she said.

"I doubt you'll be a fugitive, Azula," he said.

"Zuzu will not be happy that I ditched him," she said. "Seeing him makes me glad he is Fire Lord and not me."

"I love you, Azula," he said. "Of course I was going to come."

"Well then let's go," she said, taking his hand.

"You realize at some point I'm going to expect that you tell me you love me, too," he said.

"Sounds fair to me," she said.


End file.
